Best Raised Garden Beds for your Herbs Fruits & Flowers

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Get Smarter On Architecture and Design

Get the 3-minute weekly newsletter keeping 5K+ designers in the loop.

Enter your Email to Sign up

Side-bar-footer-forum

Raised bed gardening has been a fast-growing trend lately, as the best-raised garden beds introduce an innovative way of growing your plants anywhere, be it a vertical or traditional garden. Some of the other things that make these raised-garden beds better are that they provide superior protection from weeds and pests and allow the users easy access. The raised beds can be filled with the perfect soil mixture that is most suitable for you; you can grow flowers, herbs or food in them.

Most importantly, the selection of raised beds is not universal, thus, they should be determined by the size of your available space as well as your climbing goals, and personal taste. Thanks to the development of the best-raised garden beds, the market is flooded with options, which is why we created a list providing you with the ones that are best suited for your garden or patio. Also, we provided specific aspects you must take into account when making final buying decisions.

1. FOYUEE Galvanized Raised Garden Bed

Sale
Galvanized Raised Garden Beds for Vegetables Large...
  • ✔ SIZE: 96''(L) x 48''(W) x 12''(H), provide extra large...
  • ✔ DURABLE: Made of stable thickened galvanized metal,...
  • ✔ OPEN BOTTOM: Sits on the ground garden bed, provide good...
  • ✔ SAFETY: Bottomless design, plants didn't touch the metal and...
  • ✔ EASY SETUP: Only need about 5min and easy to put it together,...

Foyuee Galvanized metal flower collar with seeds, perennials, and herbs for the whole year along with two different sizes. Picking up any of the sizes you like will go along with the mining of the water easily. The metal fabric has been sprayed with a rust-resistant coating that does not release toxic gases, is also eco-friendly, and has sturdier crossbars. Stand-alone raised-bed garden structure does not have a bottom, hence one does not dig down to plant effectively, and this feature is a keynote with its one-foot high sidewalls.

In addition, the no-list also includes some fruits, trees, and vegetables with roots over 18 inches deep, which means that people should plant the roots in their gardens in a specific manner. Nevertheless, the modular design of the Foyuee garden beds is absent, making it impossible to unite several rows of beds without employing additional brackets, but you could drill your holes.

Pros:

  • It is easy to assemble
  • The galvanized metal is rust-resistant
  • Eco-friendly
  • The models offer additional flexibility

Cons:

  • You cannot stack several slats to create an elevated deeper bed.

2. Glowpear Self-Watering Mini Bench Planter

Sale
Glowpear Self-Watering Mini Bench Planter
  • Ideal growing conditions: Generous soil depth and volume, the...
  • Use indoors or outdoors. The Mini Bench is just at home inside or...
  • Plants take what water they need when they need it due to the...
  • See what water is needed at a glance with the water level...
  • Sturdy, safe and scalable. The Mini Bench is made of...

Glowpear Self-Watering planter is easy to use, made with injection-molded HDPE that is resistant to UV and corrosion, BPA-free, and can be used indoors and outdoors. It is on top of our list of planters. It has a drain system within the garden beds to facilitate easy and, of course, simple watering with minimal effort and create more growing space. Planting space houses the growing system where your plant will water itself; thus, watering will be efficient. Also, this space is designed high, so filling the reservoirs will be easy.

The Glowpear garden bed comes with a drip tray that is attached and easily used to stop staining from excess water-forming stains. This frame is an ideal outdoor or indoor option for flowers or herbs, and with the bottom not fully on the ground, you can also use it for your deck and check the water level easily.

Pros:

  • It is has a sleek contemporary look that enhances your home decor
  • It can be used both indoors and outdoors
  • It can be used to plant in a limited space
  • The gardening planter has a drip tray that can prevent indoor water stains
  • Easy to check on the water level
  • The frame is available in large planter and wall-mounted options

Cons:

  • The planter has a high price

3. Yaheetech 3 Tier Raised Garden Bed

Sale
YAHEETECH 3 Tier Raised Garden Bed Wooden Elevated...
  • Useful & Practical – With this helpful planter, you can...
  • 3 TIERS DESIGN: This elevated planter provides 3 growing areas...
  • Low maintenance required – Our high-quality garden bed planter...
  • Easy-to-assemble – This vegetable garden is built in a simple...
  • NICE-LOOKING GARDENING ACCESSORY: Decorative end caps on the...

The Yaheetech's three-tiered garden bed with its structure, built from solid fir wood, created an ideal way to avoid dirt or plants from being washed away by leaks. The raised structure is designed with three layers of single squares that are good for holding them above the main surface, which is great for planting vegetables, plants, and flowers in season. This terrace style makes it possible to grow flowers in one area, and small trees, shrubs, or herbs in the other, and veggies in the third area.

The garden bed offered by Yaheetech will simply give you the best flexibility. The removable wooden dowels have been incorporated into the design to help the tiers get connected. In one case, you can divide the box into several levels. If you want a single layer and have three raised gardening boxes on the ground, you can separate the layers. It includes natural, unstained and untreated wood blocks, and all the posts and boards are fully sanded, so you will be able to avoid unpleasant surprises like rough edges or splinters while constructing your planter. Unfortunately, you cannot create a unique pattern on the ground by simply rotating the side slats.

Pros:

  • Three-tier design, and you can put any plant separately
  • The raised bed has a solid wood side panel that reduces leaks or any lost soil
  • It comes with wooden dowels that connect the tiers, but they are removable
  • Maximum flexibility

Cons:

  • The slid slats are non-removable, so you cannot change the box dimensions.

4. Best Choice Products Raised Garden Bed With Wheels

Best Choice Products Elevated Mobile Raised Ergonomic...
  • DRAINAGE HOLES: Allows excess water to drain out, preventing root...
  • MULTIPURPOSE STORAGE: Get the most out of your planting and...
  • ERGONOMIC HANDLEBAR: Comes equipped with an adjustable handlebar...
  • EASY MOBILITY: Built with a set of wheels to move the planter...
  • 2 SIDE HOOKS: Hang your gardening tools on the side for quick and...

The raised garden bed from Best Choice Products is one of the highly rated raised beds. It has a liner that isolates the wood from the soil, preserving the raised bed condition over time. The bed is made of galvanized steel that promises to be more durable than wood and can hold even heavier soil, about 5 cubic feet. It can be used for planting lettuce, flowers, herbs, or plants. The Best Choice planter bed has drainage holes at the base that can be drilled in advance. This way, it is simple to take out any excess water and it is mobile because it has built-in wheels.

The raised bed garden also has a mesh shelf storage perfect for keeping extra pots and water cans and it has two side hooks that will keep your garden tools close to you. The garden beds also have ergonomic handles which help you to move the beds around your yard or any other place that you wish.

Pros:

  • Offers multipurpose storage
  • Easy to move around thanks to the lockable wheels
  • Has a bed liner that keeps the water and soil away from the wooden box.
  • It has two hooks that you can use to hang your gardening tools for easy and quick access.
  • Durable material offering versatility
  • Features a mesh storage shelf
  • The raised bed features an ergonomic handlebar making it easy to move around.
  • Easy to assemble
  • Made of metal and you won't need to treat it

Cons:

  • The assembly might take a lot of time
  • You might need your tools to assemble

5. Greenes Cedar Raised Garden Bed

Greenes 4 Ft. X 8 Ft. X 10.5 In. Cedar Raised Garden...
  • Made in the USA from naturally rot- and insect-resistant cedar....
  • Boards slide into the corner posts without tools forming a secure...
  • Stacking 2 of these makes your garden 21 inches tall (each kit...
  • Cedar is natural, untreated, unfinished and rough sawn. Finish...
  • Package contains 21 boards, 6 corner posts, 6 decorative tops (6...

Greenes Cedar Raised Garden Bed has been made with cedarwood, which, although not very beautiful to look at, has a smell that will give the garden a fragrance to ward off pests or insects. The raised bed outdoor planting is made of a cedar wood that is naturally resistant to weather properties and cheaper than other woods that need the same moisture maintenance.

This is just one of the best wood options that you can use in any garden bed. Be reminded that the untreated cedar wood should be maintained constantly; you may need to apply stains from time to time in order to protect the wood. Lastly, if you like the look of natural wood, use linseed oil to make sure that your garden bed remains well moisturized and to increase the resistance to heat and weather elements.

Pros:

  • The garden bed can be stacked with other extra units to make your planting raised garden beds taller.
  • The raised beds have decorative tops that give you a more finished look
  • The garden bed has a natural cedar construction that resists weather damage
  • Rot-resistant and it will not rust when exposed to elements like water

Cons:

  • The untreated boards mean you will have to paint to maintain their look over time.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Raised Garden Bed

1. Size

The size is influenced by space constraints, such as the length and width of the raised bed, which are limited by the building materials in your yard and its size. The width is determined by how far you can reach.

Talking about the width factor, ensure that the width you choose will enable you to work in the bed and reach all the plants without having to crawl into the bed, which in turn will compact the soil. The 3-inch to 4-inch width constitutes the most suitable size as long as you can reach your plants from different sides with ease. Still, choose a 2-inch one in case you are faced with the issue of limited access. The existing raised garden beds that are available usually go between 4-6 feet long to ensure an easy and enjoyable length aspect. But you can have horizontal beds with multiple rows if you like.

The majority of them are 6 and 12 inches in height, but the raised bed may be 36 to 48 inches and higher. First, if you want to put a tall-sided raised bed, you will need more soil, but such a plot will reduce the pressure on your back because you won't stoop too much while accessing your plants. The case of long plants such as blueberries and tomato shrubs becomes convenient moreso if the soil below is compact or poor in quality.

2. Materials

Most of the best raised garden beds are made from materials that are rot-resistant, such as cedar, but nowadays, growers have a choice of growing on beds made of plastic, woven willow, stone, and concrete. A wooden raised bed is the easiest to build and would be the best option for your raised bed. However, you can also opt for other materials depending on your budget, climate, personal taste, materials that are readily available for you, and your style.

The vegetable type of gardening cannot use such lumber as pressure-treated ones because it releases dangerous substances into your soil. To sum up, many easy to assemble garden-raised beds are made of plastic or rot-resistant wood and are food safe.

3. Ease of Assembly

The degree of assembling your gardens is a factor in determining the suitable raised garden for you because this is where the raised garden bed has an advantage over Do It Yourself raised garden beds. A raised garden bed for yourself can be quite stressful to do because you have to buy and cut the materials to the right size and join them.

On the other hand, a raised garden bed comes with all the equipment required to make one, and these raised garden beds can be assembled in a very short time. Depending on whether you are a beginner or an expert handy worker, a raised garden kit will definitely come in handy.

4. Bonus Features

The most amazing raised garden beds possess several special features, which include built-in trellises, irrigation systems, removable greenhouse covers, wheels for mobility, or legs that will raise the beds. The other advantage of the stackability would be that some raised garden beds are usually stacked depending on the needed design or depth. Ultimately, irrespective of what kind of place your urban garden is in or what the bid extras are, we have just the right raised garden bed for your specific needs.

5. Shape

Talented gardeners build these beds in various shapes like circles and squares, but the rectangular shape is the most popular. There are many types of garden beds. You can create the kinds that you like.

6. Self-watering options

The very advanced raised beds may include features for watering themselves, which can usually extend the time between waterings and create more moisture in the whole bed. These alternatives are a good choice because, with your containers and plants, you will be able to produce and stock up more, and you will use water less often.

7. Location

The location is one of the factors that we need to consider because it will be where we will be putting the vegetable gardening structure, and it is important that the space gets enough sunlight. You can determine this by going outside at 9 a.m. on a clear day and finding out what part of the area begins to receive sunlight first; note it and check hourly to know when the sun will be traveling in your garden or patio.

In a general sense, plants have varied needs when it comes to sunlight, but mostly, full sun of over 6 hours and at least four to five hours of partial sun are required. You will need at least 4 hours to be in part shade. Finally, you will need a minimum of 2 hours with a part shade, and with a full shade, your plants will thrive in less than an hour.


Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Raised Garden Beds

1. What Should You Put At The Bottom Of A Raised Garden Bed?

The bottom of the raised bed should contain a layer of wood chips, grass clippings, straw, leaves, and other organic material, which you should cover with cardboard. The organic materials can be beneficial, and the cardboard will also help suppress weeds.

2. What Should You Fill Your Raised Beds With?

With better drainage owing to the raised garden bed, plants, and flowers can get quickly and severely drought, so you should always make sure to check the watering issues. Also notable is that some modern wood treatments do not contain harmful heavy metals in them. Hence, they may be safe to use, but if you are not sure, line the inside of your raised bed using a polythene sheet.

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Related Articles
lightweight leaf blower reviews

The Best Cordless Lightweight Leaf Blower

When it comes to yard maintenance, a cordless lightweight leaf blower can be a game changer, providing the power and ...

lawn care equipment

Essential Tips for Caring for Your Lawn Care Equipment

Keeping your lawn care operational and in pristine condition isn't just a matter of pride for many homeowners but is ...

Best Water Sprinkler to Keep Your Lawn Green and Lush

When it comes to watering your lawn, you cannot go wrong with the best water sprinkler. That being our main focus, ...