16 Raised Flower Bed Ideas That Will Add Dimension to Your Garden

You can make a raised flower bed using a variety of materials in so many shapes and sizes.

Raised garden beds have so many benefits—they allow you to control your soil composition, are less strenuous on your knees and back, offer protection from pests, and produce fewer weeds. Beyond their practicality, raised flower beds also bring visual interest to your garden. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, the possibilities are endless when it comes to designing these garden structures. To help you get started, we're sharing some of our best raised flower bed ideas that will give you plenty of inspiration.

Meet the Expert

• Jim Sutton, associate director of display design at Longwood Gardens

• Joe Raboine, vice president of design at Oldcastle APG

Related: How to Make and Fill a Raised Garden Bed

Use Wood

Wood is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you envision a raised flower bed. You can buy this type of garden bed pre-made or make one yourself at home with a few basic materials. "Wood is probably one of the top choices for raised beds," says Jim Sutton, associate director of display design at Longwood Gardens. "Easy to work with, strong, and economical, it can [make] a nice finished product."

Build With Brick

If you want to build a raised garden bed that will stand the test of time, brick is the way to go. "Brick may be one of the costliest materials to use for a raised bed, but will give a lasting, strong structure," says Sutton. "It will hold the soil in place but will need some maintenance if the mortar needs attention."

Add Dimension With Rock

Using rocks as the structure of your raised bed will give your landscape welcome dimension. "Rocks are a great option for building out raised beds," says Joe Raboine, vice president of design at Oldcastle APG. "For the novice, it's best to stick with smaller rocks that are generally only one row high. Building anything taller requires a bit of skill to prevent them from moving."

Repurpose a Stock Tank

One of the easiest ways to create a raised flower bed is by using a stock tank or animal feeding trough. The pre-made structure comes ready to use, providing a cost-effective and efficient approach to this gardening method. "While they have an agrarian aesthetic, which may not work for all home styles, they do a fantastic job with keeping soil in and are very easy to set up," says Raboine. Just make sure you drill drainage holes into the bottom so water doesn't get trapped and drown the roots of your plants.  

Create a Spiral Garden

A good option for smaller plants and flowers, a spiral garden is a variation of a raised bed. "A spiral raised bed is a good option to maximize the space you have," says Raboine. "By raising the center of the spiral, you ensure good drainage and equal access to sunlight."

Fill With Annuals

Annuals, which provide stunning season-long interest, are a great choice for raised beds. "In a raised container, they are easier to give supplemental water and feed," says Sutton. "You can change them up easily, and you can also plant them densely, still allowing for airflow."

Fill With Perennials

Unlike annuals, perennials return every year to put on a brief but beautiful show. These types of flowers can also be grown in raised beds. "The bed should not be more than 1 to 2 feet off the ground in areas with severe winters, as they might freeze hard and damage the plants," says Sutton. Make sure the bed meets the soil, moisture, and sunlight requirements of the flowers you're planting.

Try Companion Planting

Companion planting is a gardening strategy that involves growing plants in a combination that will benefit both species. In your raised bed, consider planting flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables that pair well together. For example, marigolds are used to deter pests from disrupting fruits and vegetables. "The advantage of the raised bed is these plants can be grown in proximity for the maximum benefit," says Sutton.

Build Waist-High

Raised garden beds come in many shapes and sizes, but if you have mobility issues, a waist-high bed is ideal. "Its height relieves a lot of stress on the body that traditional gardeners endure," says Sutton. "A higher planting bed also reduces the accessibility for unwanted guests."

Display Containers at Varying Heights

Create the raised garden bed of your dreams by filling containers with a mix of perennials and annuals. For added dimension, use containers at varying heights and sizes. Not only will a container garden give you the same aesthetic and convenience of raised beds, this design choice also makes it easier to swap out your plants as the seasons change.

Use Pallets

Upcycling an old wood pallet is a smart way to use vertical space in your backyard. Fill the slots with basket weave or small containers, then add your flowers. Just make sure that the wood is untreated so you don't risk any chemicals potentially damaging your plants.

Fill With Herbs

Fill a raised bed with flowering herbs for color and fragrance. "Herbs do well, especially in smaller raised beds and window boxes," says Sutton. "Herbs generally like warm growing conditions, minimal competition from other plants, and bright direct sunlight."

Use Ornamental Grass in Gaps

If your raised flower bed has any gaps, fill them in with ornamental grasses. "A raised bed would help to contain an ornamental grass that would otherwise spread too quickly," says Sutton. These plants are a wonderful way to add texture to a flower bed.

Position on a Hill

If you have a hill that's brimming with design potential, consider positioning a few raised beds on it. "Well-constructed raised beds would be an option for a steep hill if they were positioned into the hill, so they acted like terraces, providing flat areas to cultivate crops down the slope of the hill," says Sutton. "They would also help with water management down the hill, which leads to soil erosion."

Try Fabric

Not ready to commit to a raised garden bed quite yet? Opt for a fabric border, which is easy to set up, move around, and deconstruct. "Fabric containers made specifically for gardening work as a temporary solution for renters or gardeners who would like the ability to move the containers around," says Sutton.

Opt for Window Boxes

Perfect if you have a smaller landscape or don't want to bend over to tend to your plants, window boxes add instant curb appeal to any space. "Keep irrigation in mind with window boxes, as they can dry out quickly if they are exposed to a great deal of sun," says Raboine. For this reason, window boxes are ideal for plants that have shallow roots systems, like succulents.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.