I’ll be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of raised bed gardens, until recently. Last spring when I designed a garden for White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut, we looked at my portfolio of designs and they chose the Paint Box garden, featured in my new book The Complete Kitchen Garden. There are four raised beds in the paint box garden, which can be planted with four different garden designs. Instead of all the vibrant colors of flowers, herbs and vegetables competing in one large garden, the individual raised beds create a patchwork quilt with shades of green, textures from ferny to frilly, and dabs of pink, red, and blue around the edges.
Raised beds offer several other advantages, too. They lift plants higher, which protects them from the early spring frost. They are also a deterrent for rabbits and dogs, as well as a natural barrier against grass and weeds. Raised beds can be stacked for less bending over, then filled with topsoil or compost which is especially beneficial if your soil is composed of heavy clay or is otherwise difficult to amend.
There are numerous options for how to build your raised beds and the best materials will be those made with untreated, rot-resistant wood. These include cedar, cypress, and any hardwood indigenous to your area that has not been treated with chemicals. Wood will not last forever, but it sure beats plastic, which can leach into the soil, leaving residuals that may affect the health of your crops. Besides, what you sacrifice in aesthetics, you make up for in convenience, since movable raised beds are ideal for gardeners who are renting, or are unsure where to plant a more permanent garden. If you change your mind, simply knock down the sides and stack the wood.
Just as with a traditional garden, give careful thought to where you might place the raised beds to provide plants full sun exposure and access to water spigots and hoses, but also to how the beds blend into your yard. Try to group the raised beds together in a pattern that takes up minimal space, yet provides ample growing opportunities for a range of colorful vegetables. Raised beds look better together, so plan to install several at a time, with adequate paths in between. Mulch the paths with fine pea stone or bark mulch to keep the weeds down and provide a soft cushion underfoot. Here’s a great source for raised garden beds that I highly recommend. And they ship, too!
