Raise your game
Elevated beds aren’t just for veg – they can add style to the poshest of plots
MENTION r ai s ed beds and most gardeners will think of those low, rectangular frames that are synonymous with allotments. Knocked together from reclaimed scaffolding boards, bits of old decking or waste wood, these utilitarian structures are often arranged in a gridlike pattern across entire plots with narrow paths in between.
It’s not surprising they are so popular. Raised beds allow crops to be grown on poor ground, and filling with a high-quality soil mix will result in bumper crops. They make l arge plots manageable, reduce watering and extend the growing season. Paths covered with bark chippings or gravel help to cut down on weeding.
Yet raised beds don’t have to be rough-and-ready, and certainly not the sole preserve of allotments. Stone, brick, metal and hardwood timber can all be used to create smart beds that will suit the swankiest of gardens. A raised bed with rendered and painted walls would fit perfectly in a crisp, contemporary space.
Of course, you could follow tradition and use beds for growing crops, but they are ideal for trees, shrubs, perennials and all sorts of ornamentals, depending on their depth. Apart from filling with a range of different species, they are also great for displaying a special collection of plants, such as alpines, ferns and grasses.
Another advantage with raised beds is that they provide the opportunity to grow plants that aren’t suited to a particular soil. For example, those with alkaline soils could load a raised bed with an ericaceous mix, creating the perfect conditions for rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and similar acid lovers.
A simple raised bed made from wood isn’t particularly eye-catching, but sufficient for allotments or vegetable patches tucked out of the way. An 8ft by 4ft frame will provide plenty of growing space. Simply screw four pieces of treated timber to corner stakes made from 2in x 2in timber. Choose planks with a depth suitable for your intended crops. Lettuces, radishes, mixed salad leaves and many other shallow-rooted edibles can be grown in beds with a minimum depth of 6in, while carrots, parsnips, potatoes and other deeper-rooting crops need about 2ft to develop. Once the bed is made, line the inside with plastic sheeting to prevent wood preservative leaching out.
There’s no set recipe for raised bed soil, but I like a 50:50 mix of sterilised topsoil and multi-purpose compost, adding a few handfuls of horticultural grit and controlled release fertiliser granules. Brick or natural stone are perfect for constructing long-lasting, smart beds suitable for gardens. For something ultra-modern, lay concrete breeze blocks to make a frame, cover in render and paint – top with timber, stone, tiles or some form of protruding coping and the outside of the bed can be used for seating.
A series of interconnecting raised beds in different shapes, sizes and heights are perfect for dividing a linear space, providing a modern look and giving gardens a strong structural backbone. A bank of long, raised beds will create terraces, helping to overcome a sloping site or taming an uneven part of the garden.
Treat raised beds like elevated borders, arranging plants by height. Use patio standard trees, upright topiary and bamboos for vertical i nt e r e s t , under- pl a nt i ng wit h grasses, hebes and spiky-shaped perennials. Place trailers around edges, along with perennials with a relaxed habit, such as alchemilla and hardy geraniums.
Due to the compact and often narrow nature of raised beds, it’s best to keep planting schemes fairly simple, selecting from a limited palette of plants and colours. The trick to ensure displays are easy on the eye is to repeat the same order of plants several times along the length of beds.
They’re also great for showcasing a special collection