Almost anything can be grown in raised beds, from vegetables to small trees. There are many options as they offer similar benefits to gardeners.
When thinking of raised bed garden ideas, there is a lot to think about. Not only can they be creative elements of garden design, but they also provide real benefits to people with disabilities and allow them to have full control over the land.
Raised beds are good for such a variety of plants that the possibilities are endless. You can create a perfect raised bed for growing anything, be it fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, shrubs or alpine plants.
Advantages of raised beds
Raised beds are very popular and are suitable for any type of soil in any form of garden. Or, a raised bed can even give you soil if you don't have soil to grow in, since they can be placed in the garden or on the patio. In addition to providing valuable space for growing plants, raised beds can also be artistic.
There are important factors to consider, such as where the best place to put the bed is, to ensure you get one that is suitable for your purpose.
You can find materials and build your own bed or buy custom kits. They can be made from a variety of materials, such as the Land Gard Metal Raised Garden Bed Set, available on Amazon, or the Backyard Expressions Wooden Raised Garden Bed, also available on Amazon.
Whichever design option you choose, there are three main things raised beds are good for.
1. Land control
The main practical reason that raised beds are useful is that they allow you to control the type and condition of the soil so that you get soil that is different from anywhere else in your garden.
Louis Ghaffari, chef and gardener at Urban Farm and Kitchen, is a fan of raised beds because they give you "total control over the environment that grows and improves." This opens up a variety of plants that you can grow in your garden, as you can create an environment that suits your desires.
He adds: "If your native soil is of poor quality or very difficult to work (such as clay), a raised bed will allow you to create a firm and comfortable growing environment."
If you have very sandy soil, you can fill the raised bed with soil that holds water better, if you have clay soil, a raised bed can provide better drainage. The soil you put in your raised bed may have a neutral pH that plants like, unless your bed is designed for acid-loving plants, for example, where you can add steam compost to make the soil more acid.
Check the pH of your soil to make sure it's ideal for your plants. Filling a raised bed with the wrong soil is a common gardening mistake to avoid.
A final advantage of the floor is that it never needs to be pressed into the raised bed because the bed does not move. When planning how wide a raised bed should be, the general rule of thumb is to make it as wide as possible so you don't have to go inside.
2. For accessibility and mobility
Raised beds can make gardening easier for people with physical disabilities, such as people in wheelchairs or who cannot kneel to sit at ground level.
When considering how high a raised bed should be, the advantage is that the height of a raised bed can be designed for any user. In addition, the tops can also be wide so that people can sit on them while gardening.
This allows anyone with mobility problems to comfortably plant, prune, harvest or simply weed and enjoy tilling the land.
3. For creative opportunities
Raised beds also allow you to add design or aesthetic elements to your backyard. They offer a level of creativity in garden design.
There are many materials that can be used. They can be made from expensive materials or recycled from old wood or bricks. They can also be permanent design elements or just temporary additions to divide a space, add interest, or elevate plants so you can enjoy the flowers more.
Dwayne Pancoast, author of The Geriatric Gardener, recommends: "Raised decorative beds should be placed where the gardener and visitors can enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the flowers."
He adds that raised beds "make good edging for features like patios." As with patios, raised beds can also be used successfully to line pathways or create a visual separation between parts of the patio.
For which plants are raised beds suitable?
If you're wondering what can grow in raised beds, the answer is that almost all plants can thrive in them. There is a wide variety of plants and anything that can grow in the ground can grow in a raised bed. This opens up possibilities for creating anything from a vegetable garden, to a cut flower bed or raised flower beds.
Fruits and vegetables. The fact that the soil warms up faster in spring makes them ideal for planting and growing vegetables. Award-winning garden designer Martin Wilson says that raised beds "open up all kinds of possibilities" when it comes to garden ideas. He says. “Raised beds are particularly useful if you have poor soil and want to grow vegetables like parsnips, carrots or lettuce, which require nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with very little rock. Of course, you can fill the beds with compost and topsoil and control the quality of the growing medium much easier. Various soft fruits, including many varieties of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackberries, and currants, are ideal for growing in raised beds.
Plants and Flowers They grow well in raised beds and also contribute great fragrance and flowers and attract beneficial pollinators to the garden. If you are planning a cut flower garden, you can grow a wide variety of flowers in raised beds. From annuals that need to be cut back all summer, to all manner of bulbs, tubers, and cores, all can grow in raised beds. Consider the height of the planting and the location of the bed, so that the taller plants do not block the sun from the smaller ones.
Along with vegetables and fruits, the use of herbs can also be part of planting. Plants really like well-drained soil, so fill it with sand to create a well-draining herb garden. Also, improving drainage in a raised bed can make it an ideal environment for growing Mediterranean and alpine plants.
Trees and shrubs. Raised beds can accommodate annual flower arrangements, as well as be home to evergreen shrubs that can add interest and color year-round. By thinking about how deep your raised bed should be, you can make sure it's big enough to accommodate large shrubs. Even small trees like conifers can grow in raised beds, but be sure to choose smaller varieties that are suitable for growing in raised beds or containers.
Always plan your beds carefully. Not only because of its location and size, but also because of its purpose. Whether you want them to divide the garden and put up a screen year-round, or sit by the back door to ensure a quick harvest of herbs and vegetables from the garden to the kitchen. Take advantage of the fact that you can monitor the soil and make adjustments based on your growing needs.
