Why a raised flowerbed is brilliant
Raised flowerbeds make a colourful and interesting focal point within a garden. There’s more to a raised flowerbed than just looking picturesque, they have other benefits, which can help make the most of your space.
Space saving
If your garden is small or an awkward shape, you can use a raised flowerbed to define your growing space. Logistics permitting, it can be any size or shape and built to suit your specific requirements – so you can turn a dark corner or an uneven edge into a cultivated area.
A garden organiser
Raised beds can help when organising your garden or vegetable patch. Specific beds can be used to grow specific things; plants suited to each other (known as companion planting) can be put in the same beds to promote better growth and protection.
Built from leftover brick, raised flowerbeds can make thrifty and attractive dividing walls within your garden or a picturesque edge to your patio. Alternatively, try reclaimed railway sleepers, other timber or even an antique sink!
Control what you grow
If the soil in your garden doesn’t yield the results that you want, for example if you live in a clay soil area, a raised bed can provide the answer. Because it is essentially a container, you can control the growing material inside the bed to suit the plants you want to grow. Multiple raised beds could allow you to create several different soil conditions to grow whatever plants you desire.
Easy to maintain
A raised bed is a finite space, you don’t need to worry about your lawn or weeds encroaching, and you only need to top up or replace the soil in the bed every few years.
Protect against pests
The frame of a raised bed helps prevent damage caused by wildlife by making it harder for animals to get access to your plants. Use a base material like chicken wire to keep pests such as moles from burrowing and damaging the roots of your plants or, if the creatures nibbling away at your crops come from the skies, a frame covered with netting should do the trick.
Freedom to grow
Because raised beds tend to drain well and warm up a lot faster than a regular flowerbed in warmer months, they can promote earlier growth. This can help you to capitalise on shorter growing times that are part and parcel of the notoriously fickle British weather!
Ease of access
Simply by virtue of being elevated, raised flowerbeds are easier to work with. There’s less strain in bending down and reaching across a flowerbed to plant or weed, making them a perfect choice for older gardeners or people with mobility issues or back pain. They are also at exactly the right height for children to enjoy.
See more about making your garden safe for children here.