Elevate Your Garden with Ornamental Raised Beds

Raised garden beds are a great way to add visual interest and functionality to your outdoor space While traditional in-ground gardening has its merits, installing raised beds can provide a number of benefits for both novice and seasoned gardeners With the recent popularity of DIY home projects and increased interest in small space gardening, ornamental raised beds have become a stylish choice for upgrading your yard and gardens.

What are Raised Garden Beds?

Raised beds are planting areas built above ground level using materials like lumber, bricks stones, or concrete blocks to frame and contain the garden bed. The enclosed frame keeps the amended soil in place so you can create the ideal structured growing environment. The bed is then filled in with enriched soil compost, and other nutrient sources to provide better drainage and nutrition for plants.

When you plant in raised beds instead of on the ground, you can control the quality and conditions of the soil. They can be made from many different materials to match different styles of garden design. You can find raised beds in a lot of different sizes, shapes, and configurations to fit your room. You can use more than just wood as an ornament. You can use decorative metal, stone, bricks, cinder blocks, and recycled materials.

Benefits of Installing Raised Garden Beds

Lots of people use raised beds in their gardens, on patios, and in their landscaping for many useful reasons:

• Improved Drainage – By elevating the growing area, excess water can drain away from the plant roots.

• Weed Control – Separating the in-bed soil minimizes weed intrusion.

• Custom Soil – Allows you to use ideal potting mixes and added nutrients.

• Accessibility – Reduced need to bend over or kneel down for planting and maintenance.

• Space Efficient – Make the most of small yards and tight spots.

• Earlier Planting – Warms up faster in early spring for an extended growing season.

• Pest Deterrent – Can utilize wire fencing or mesh bottoms to keep burrowing animals away.

• Movable Option – Small raised beds can be designed with wheels for portability.

Popular Materials for Ornamental Raised Garden Beds

While basic lumber and landscape timbers are common choices, there are many attractive options to enhance your raised bed designs:

Brick

• Classic look for cottage garden charm
• Durable and weather resistant
• Provides decorative contrast to plants
• Can be mortared for permanent install or dry stacked

Stone

• Natural materials like field stone, cobblestones, granite
• Provides visual interest and texture
• Long lasting and low maintenance
• Can be configured into creative shapes

Metal

• Galvanized steel, corrugated tin, aluminum panels
• Industrial modern visual
• Stands up to any weather conditions
• Conducts heat for warmer soils

Wood

• Affordable cedar, redwood, or pine planks
• Can build matching designs and sizes
• Allows for creative configurations
• Provides a natural rustic appearance

Recycled Items

• Repurposed objects like dressers, bathtubs, or tables
• Unique personalized style and decor
• Environmentally friendly and sustainable

Concrete Blocks

• Basic cinder or retaining wall blocks
• Provides structured durability
• Can make geometric or angled designs

Designing with Ornamental Raised Garden Beds

Part of the appeal of raised beds is the ability to employ your creativity in designing eye-catching visual features. Arrangements can be neat and orderly or free-flowing. Mixing materials, colors, and planting allows for limitless possibilities.

• Complement your home style – Match a cottage, contemporary, rustic, or other aesthetic.

• Contrast textures and colors – Combine materials like stone, wood, and metal for interest.

• Incorporate lighting – Install solar lights along raised bed edges or walkways.

• Use vertical space – Add trellises for climbing vines and plants.

• Section into themes – Devote beds to herbs, roses, veggies, or other focuses.

• Make playful patterns – Alternate sizes, shapes, heights for depth.

• Add ornamentation – Include decorative carvings, finials, tiles, mosaics.

• Include seating – Build bench seating into the longer side of a raised bed.

Ideas for Ornamental Raised Garden Beds

Here are some inspirational examples of unique raised bed designs to spark your creativity:

Geometric Stone Beds

Use stone in clean lines and geometric shapes surrounded by gravel or pebbles for a formal garden look. This type of structured design works well for cottages, courtyards, and Mediterranean or English gardens.

Mixed Material Beds

Combine different materials like stacked stone, brick, and timber planks to create an eclectic raised bed garden. This type of layered design adds visual dimension and textural contrast.

Elevated Wheelbarrow Beds

For small space gardens, use an old metal wheelbarrow or cart lined with landscape fabric for a portable planter. You can move it around your yard or patio to capture optimal sun exposure.

Decorative Metal Beds

Use welded iron, steel, or aluminum in arched, curved, or scrolled raised bed shapes. Paint them in bold colors or let the metal patina naturally for contemporary industrial style even in urban areas.

Personalized Recycled Beds

Make a custom repurposed raised bed from salvaged items like an old bathtub, refrigerator, or chest of drawers for added character and charm. Let your imagination run wild!

Two-Tiered Timber Beds

Maximize planting space and visual interest with stacked raised beds made from rustic wood planks and posts. Stagger heights and sizes for dimension and plant shade loving varieties on lower levels.

Outdoor Living Room Beds

Build an inviting garden retreat and focal spot by surrounding raised beds with comfortable seating. Use sun-filtering pergolas or canopy covers to define the ornamental space.

Window Box Raised Beds

Think outside the box by repurposing old wooden window boxes or HVAC vents into vertical raised beds. Mount them on walls, fences, or railings for unique ornamental accents.

Stone and Timber Beds

Combine natural stone walls on two sides with coordinating stained timber planks on opposite sides. The contrast highlights the textures of both materials for blended organic and structured appeal.

Backyard Stepping Stone Beds

Raised beds don’t have to be enclosed. Use large cut stone or pavers as stepping stones through your garden beds. Fill the gaps between with pea gravel or low-growing ground cover plants.

Get Inspired and Get Planting!

Hopefully these ideas have inspired you to create beautiful ornamental raised beds that upgrade your yard and highlight your gardening style. Raised beds allow you to grow ornamental flowers, herbs, veggies, or a bountiful mix in a designated space tailored to your site conditions and preferences. With so many functional and decorative design options, what raised bed will you create today to elevate your landscape to the next level?