Whether you’re an experienced gardener or simply looking to add a touch of greenery to your backyard this season, raised garden beds can be an excellent option. Not only do they give homeowners a convenient and efficient way to grow plants, but they also provide a range of benefits such as improved soil drainage, better pest control, and easier access to handle garden maintenance.
There are three main different types of raised garden beds to choose from, each with its own benefits. Today, we’re exploring those types of garden beds to give you the information you need to decide which is right for your backyard!
What Are Raised Garden Beds?
First of all, what is a raised garden bed? Technically speaking, adding a few inches of soil over the ground level would make your landscaping into a raised bed. When most people discuss different types of raised garden beds, however, they’re speaking of purposefully-enclosed garden beds that have been built to be raised up from the ground level and stand out.
Different types of raised garden beds may be constructed using a variety of materials ranging from rot-resistant wood to bricks, concrete, or plastic. Professionals handling your Upstate NY landscaping services will be able to help you determine what’s best for the end result you’re looking for.
Pros and Cons of Raised Garden Beds
When you’re thinking about adding different types of garden beds to your backyard, it’s important to be aware of the opportunities and challenges they may present. Like with any backyard landscaping designs, raised beds come with their own set of pros and cons, benefits and disadvantages.
Benefits of Raised Garden Beds
Some of the benefits of different types of raised garden beds for your backyard are:
- Provides the same physical and mental health benefits of gardening
- Can be easier on your body without as much bending down or kneeling
- They can be used in areas with poor soil health
- Some are mobile, allowing you to move them around as you please
- Size-efficient for backyards of any size
- May make gardening easier for those with disabilities
- Easier pest control and dog-friendly landscaping ideas
- May allow earlier planting since they warm up faster than the regular ground
Disadvantages of Raised Garden Beds
With the good, comes the bad. Some of the reasons you may choose not to use different types of garden beds in your backyard are:
- You have to purchase the soil unless you already have an excess elsewhere
- Soil may dry out faster in the summer months
- Drier soil means more watering
- Chemicals could seep into the soil if you use the wrong materials
- Best only for certain types of plants that will thrive in drier summers and colder winters
Even though having different types of raised garden beds in your backyard may have a few challenges, they’re not that difficult to overcome. Your landscaping professionals (that’s us) will know which materials are safe and which plants are best for your Upstate NY raised garden beds.
Bonus: Worried about the harsh Capital Region winters? Check out our guide to outdoor winter plants that thrive in the cold after this.
Main Types of Raised Garden Beds
You can choose from a vast array of materials and designs, but when it comes to fundamentals, there are three main types of raised garden beds:
- Raised ground bed
- Supported raised bed
- Containerized raised bed
Each of these types of garden beds has its own practical uses and applications, providing homeowners with almost any kind of outdoor space the chance to bring their backyard flower garden ideas to life.
Raised Ground Bed
Raised ground beds are one of the most common types of raised garden beds. They involve creating a raised area of soil directly on the ground and are usually 6 to 8 inches high. These types of garden beds can be made by building a short enclosed frame using materials like bricks, stones, or rot-resistant wood (not pressure treated).
Some of the advantages of raised ground beds include better soil drainage and easier weed prevention. They also provide better accessibility for gardening tasks, such as planting, weeding, and harvesting (if you’re growing vegetables).
It’s often noted that raised garden beds are the preferred choice for gardeners looking to plant over large areas but not wanting to have to build support frames.
Supported Raised Bed
Supported raised beds are elevated structures supported by legs or other frameworks. They are often made of materials such as wood, metal, stone, or plastic. These types of raised garden beds are particularly great for landscaping a sloped backyard, as they present an even look.
Supported raised beds offer better accessibility for homeowners with disabilities or who may have trouble bending or kneeling for long periods of time. They are also advantageous for areas of your backyard with poor soil quality since you’ll have control over the soil used. Additionally, the elevated design of supported raised beds can help prevent invasion by wildlife and ground insects.
Containerized Raised Bed
The last of the major types of raised garden beds for your backyard, containerized garden beds use materials like pots and barrels to create a raised gardening area. They typically have taller sides (usually 10 inches or more) and can be placed almost anywhere in your backyard you want.
These types of raised garden beds are perfect for those with limited outdoor space, able to be built for patios or small yards. Containerized raised beds offer the flexibility to move plants around, making them great for areas with varying amounts of sun exposure or for gardeners who like to try out different plant combinations with varying needs.
Bonus: While not considered one of the main types of raised garden beds, elevated raised beds are also popular. These are often built similarly to containerized raised beds but are even higher. It makes them optimal for people who want or need to garden from a comfortable standing height.
Garden Bed Design Ideas
Looking for a little inspiration to get you started? We wouldn’t leave you hanging!
Some of our favorite types of garden bed design ideas are:
- Red brick raised garden beds to show off landscaping and hardscaping designs
- Spiral-shaped raised herb gardens bordered with natural stone
- Trough raised gardens for a farmhouse feel
- Flower box raised garden beds to bring landscaping to your windows
- Terraced raised garden beds as landscaping for steep backyard hills
- Concrete raised beds for a modern, minimalist design
- Geometric raised garden bed designs for a unique backyard look
- Clay pot containerized raised beds for patio spaces
The possibilities for different types of raised garden beds for your backyard are seemingly endless. Take these ideas and check out the NVS Project Planner to budget and plan your next landscaping project.
Choosing the right types of raised garden beds for your backyard will give you the outdoor space you’ve always wanted. Our team of professional landscapers is happy to help you design the look you want and recommend plants based on your environmental factors and how much maintenance you want to provide. When you’re ready, give us a shout, and let’s get started!
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