12 Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Try in Your Own Backyard (2024)

12 Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Try in Your Own Backyard (1)

Want to take your green thumb to the next level? There's no better way to do so than with a raised garden bed. Not only can this landscaping trend elevate your outdoor space, but it can also offer great drainage and a physical barrier from those pesky garden critters. Plus, if you're growing a variety of plants, flowers, or herbs, a raised garden bed can keep your greens orderly and aesthetically pleasing—think of it as the gardening equivalent to ASMR.

With various styles and materials to choose from, there's no one way to install a raised garden bed. To help, we've rounded up 12 gorgeous garden bed ideas, plus how to copy the look in your own outdoor space.

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Style a Sloped Backyard

12 Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Try in Your Own Backyard (2)

As this flower-filled shot proves, raised garden beds can look good in any space—yes, even a sloped backyard. Christa Moné incorporated a series of descending beds to bridge the gap between the terrain below an outdoor pavilion designed by Andrew Mann Architecture.

Not only does this idea make the most of land that would otherwise be ignored, but it also offers an excellent view from every angle.

Want to take your tiered garden beds to the next level? Take a cue from Moné, who filled them with an array of colorful blooms.

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Keep it Classic

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If you're looking for a raised garden bed that can withstand the test of time, opt for a classic wooden style. These raised beds "provide great structure for vegetable gardens," Katie Leede explains.

This versatile setup offers a blank canvas for your outdoor space so your greens can take center stage. If you want to recreate this polished look in your backyard, pick up a few uniform garden beds and get growing.

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Create a Divide

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Contrary to popular belief, a raised garden bed has more to offer than good looks. Don't believe us? Take a look at Diana Elizabeth's space.

Here, the blogger uses her raised garden beds to create a barrier between her covered patio and designated seating area. Plus, her brick bed is a perfect match for her home's facade. If you want to break up your backyard, a strategically placed garden bed will deliver.

36 Small Patio Ideas for Enjoying the Great Outdoors All Year Long

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Pick a Portable Option

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Just because you don't have a sprawling backyard doesn't mean you have to miss out on the raised garden bed trend. For her One Room Challenge, Shavonda Gardner placed several potted plants in a sleek, elevated bed.

Not only does this option have all the perks of a traditional raised garden bed, but it's also small enough for a balcony or deck. Plus, she can easily move her greens inside once the temperature drops.

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Mix and Match

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Why settle for one type of raised garden bed when you can enjoy a few? If your design taste skews more eclectic, check out this space, courtesy of Finding Lovely. The blogger incorporated a handful of garden bed styles into her backyard: a pyramid for her strawberries, trellises for her tomatoes, and classic wooden beds for her other greens.

In order to keep your garden cohesive and not chaotic, stick with one material to build your beds.

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Try It with Tiers

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Want to bring your portable raised garden bed to new heights, literally? Anika of Anika's DIY Life decked out her outdoor space with a compact, tiered planter.

The extra bed offers plenty of space for additional greens, while the accompanying trellis is ideal for vines. Consider this raised bed idea a sign that it's finally time to add juicy tomatoes to your gardening repertoire.

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Add It to an Unconventional Nook

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Raised garden beds might typically be found in a backyard, however, Jungalow's Justina Blakeney cleverly added one to her outdoor shower area.

"We had the idea to create this built-in planter box as we used leftover tile for the floor in this outdoor shower, but didn’t have enough to cover the whole surface area," she explains. "So, we built this planter from cinderblocks and concrete from the Home Depot, and filled it with dracaenas to make our outdoor shower situation lusher.”

The concrete planter offsets her whimsical greens, plus it pairs nicely with her eye-catching mosaic tile.

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Wow with a Wonder Wall

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As this garden from Lucy Willcox proves, the only way to go is up. The British designer paired raised garden beds of varying heights with a floating shelf, complete with several potted plants. This idea refreshes the basic brick wall and draws the eye upward, making the enclosed outdoor space feel open, airy, and abundant.

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Make the Most with Metal

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Though raised garden beds are typically made out of wood, Liz Marie Galvan proves metal is an equally suitable material. Here, the blogger upcycled a handful of stock tubs, transforming her backyard into a rustic, yet manicured space.

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Add a Seat

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On the hunt for a raised garden bed idea that's just as pretty as it is practical? Look no further. Australia-based landscape designer Kathleen Murphy added a seat to this setup.

Not only does this trick bring some warmth to this sleek style, but it also gives guests a place to stop and smell the roses.

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Flex Your DIY Muscle

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If you want to forgo the store-bought raised garden bed, take a cue from Kimberly Duran, who made this versatile style from scratch.

"Making your own raised bed planter is such a simple project," the founder of British blog Swoon Worthy explains. "I like the fact that making a DIY planter means you can easily adapt the size to whatever space you’re working with, paint it any color you like, and save so much money in comparison to buying it off-the-shelf."

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Fresh Up Your Front Yard

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More times than not, raised garden beds are placed behind the home. However, if you want to give your space some curb appeal, put them on full display in your front yard.

Designer Mindy Gayer flanked each side of the entryway with a raised garden bed. To recreate the look, opt for a stone-clad bed and fill it with some whimsical greens.

15 Inexpensive Raised Garden Bed Ideas Easy Enough to DIY

12 Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Try in Your Own Backyard (2024)

FAQs

How to make raised garden beds look nice? ›

Some of the most popular raised garden bed ideas include stones, mulch, or straw. If you have a large raised bed, you might want to line the bottom with large stones, plastic bottles, or straw so the water drains and doesn't pool or make the soil soggy—plan for drainage holes at the bottom of your raised bed planter.

What is the cheapest way to make a raised garden bed? ›

Raised beds made of cinder blocks or concrete blocks

Cinder blocks and concrete blocks are very inexpensive (typically $2 to $3 a piece at home improvement centers), and they make it really easy to build the outline of a raised garden bed.

What to put on the bottom of a raised garden bed? ›

Best Soil for Raised Garden Beds

We recommend buying high-quality, nutrient-rich soil in bulk. Or, you can make a soil mix with equal parts topsoil, organic materials (leaves, composted manure, ground bark), and coarse sand.

What is the best layout for a raised bed garden? ›

Don't make your beds wider than 4 feet, this way you can easily reach to the center. The ideal depth is between 12 and 24 inches. Leave at least an 18-inch path between beds, more if you want wheelbarrow access.

How deep should a raised garden bed be? ›

The Best Height for Raised Beds

The minimum raised beds height I ever recommend is six inches, and then there's no reason to go over two feet unless you have a specific reason, such as a mobility issue. Keep in mind that beds 18 inches deep or more will have better drainage than shorter beds.

What are the disadvantages of raised garden beds? ›

Raised beds need water more often since the soil is more exposed to air and dries quicker. Similar to growing in containers, the extra watering can leach nutrients out of the soil quicker than in-ground gardens. For that reason, raised beds will likely need fertilizer more often.

Is it cheaper to buy or build raised garden beds? ›

On average, a DIY raised bed constructed from wood will cost $25 to $50 per square foot. To have a wooden raised bed constructed and installed for you, budget for at least $100 per square foot. (Find a kitchen garden company in your area.)

How to lasagna garden? ›

Easy method: Lay newspaper on the grass where the bed is to go. Fill with leaves, coffee grounds, grass clippings and straw in layers. Top with 4-6 inches of garden soil and plant. More labor intensive method: Dig out sod under area to be covered by the bed.

How do you enrich raised beds? ›

Topping off your raised beds with a 1" to 2" layer of compost in early spring is the easiest way to feed a long, gradual supply of nutrients to your plants all summer long.

Should you paint raised beds? ›

When you grow your own herbs, harvest fresh lettuce and pick your home-grown tomatoes, you are eating real, healthy organic food. However, chemicals used in conventional varnishes to protect the wood can leach into the soil via the wood. That's why it's so important to treat your raised bed with non-toxic paint.

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