Designers share their favourite kick upstairs layer garden layout for all kinds of spaces and gardeners .
David Patterson
Even if you ’ve been save inspiration images ofraised seam gardensfor months , coming up with a raised bed layout for your own space requires both esthetical and hard-nosed consideration . " Designing a raise seam garden is so different from other parts of they landscape , because you ’re going to be working in it all the time , " state garden designer Nicole Burke . We babble to Burke and other expert about how to configure raised beds tomaximize both bounty and beautyin your grand .
Credit:David Patterson
Best Raised Bed Garden Layouts for Different Spaces
The best raised bottom garden layout is one that fits your particular space , as well as your garden goal , especially if you’renew to horticulture . " If you ’re interested in get food and flowers more for the experience than for ego - adequacy , be after for one or two leaven beds , " says landscape painting decorator Leslie Bennett . If you ’re more ambitious , the more beds , the merry . Our experts partake in their favorite ways to configureraised bedsfor various situations .
Caitlin Atkinson
1. All in a Row
If you ’re slopped on distance , stock up prove seam along the margin of your yard or drive . In this garden designed by Bennett and landscape painting architect Holly Kuljian , the vegetable beds were lay along a farseeing minute side railyard . " The beds are a comfortable 24 - inch height for working , with a wide lip on the edge for sit or placing tool , " say Bennett . These beds are smartly placed for sluttish access , remark Kuljian : “ The central break in the beds aline with the main stairway to the terrace , which creates such a nice flow from the mansion down into the garden . "
Eric Kelley
2. Two of a Kind
This " matching garden " designed by Burke is an example of one of the most popular raised garden layouts among her clients . Leave enough room for a path between the beds andjoin them by a trellisso " you end up with a sorcerous paseo between them , " say Burke . She likes to imbed symmetrically , mirror the crops planted in one bed in the other . " It ’s esthetically pleasing , but alsohelps minimize diseasebecause you ’re not imbed only one character of harvest in one position . "
3. Trio of Beds
Anything in threes is satisfying visually , plus " a triad of raised bed work really well if you have a circular or curving space , " pronounce Burke , who designed this bring up bed garden . She likes to mirror the planting combinations in the two outside bed , and then dedicate the heart bed to something else — perennialsor cutting efflorescence , for instance . tote up trellis to each raise layer helps delimitate the space .
Marion Brenner
4. Courtyard Setup
Raised beds can also be placed around a cardinal courtyard or another focal point like a outpouring , like in this backyard engraft by the Pine House Edible Gardens squad . " We designed around the existing concrete patio to spotlight the central gather space , " enjoin Bennett . " It gives a sentience of place and really immerse you in the garden to board experience . ” Because beds can be accessed from both sides , says Kuljian , the team designed them slenderly wider ( 4 - 5 feet ) to maximise production .
5. Four Square
If you have enough space and desire to make your raised bed garden feel like a destination , opt for four beds of the same size , says Burke . As in this garden she designed , she likes to tie in the bed on each side with bowed treillage . " That way you could create a grand entrance and clear exit , " she say . The mind is to basically double what you ’d do in a twin garden , but " with four bed , you create more of a designated distance . "
Cathy and Garret Poshusta
Choosing a Location for Your Raised Beds
Before you startbuilding any raised bedsor sink in " Buy " for pre - made ones , you need to compute out where you ’re go to put them . Here are the top divisor that go into choosing a spot :
Sunlight
If , like most citizenry , you plan togrow edibles , annual and perennial flowers , or both in your raised bed , depend to the sunwhen determine the best post for your beds : Mostpopular vegetablesand write out flowersneed full sun ( 6 - 8 hours of exposure)to thrive . That sound out , there are mountain of crop that do n’t mind less than that if you could find a spot that ’s entirely full Dominicus .
" If a tree diagram is going to hinder one corner of your raised bed , that ’s where you might plant anything that like a break from the Lord’s Day , likelettucesandkale , " say Patrick Metz of Gardener ’s Supply Company .
Soil
A big upside of raised beds is the ability to control thequality of the territory . Even so , your native soil may be a consideration when you ’re thinking about a conjure up bottom layout . " The type of land you have affect where you put your beds as well as the elevation of beds , " explains Metz .
Ideally , you ’d put your raised bed in a stain where the territory drains well , since plants with longer roots may be reach deeper than your bed . If the best twinkle is in a spot where yoursoil is clay and does n’t debilitate well , however , you may still put your kick upstairs layer there — just choose deeper one and fulfil with well - draining filth .
Pathways
When choosing a spot for your raised bed , allot a sealed amount of workable outer space around them . " Themain access pathsto your raised beds should be at least 3 foundation spacious so you have outer space to move around , exploit the dirt , andget a wheelbarrow to the bedsif demand , " indite Bennett in her book , Garden Wonderland . If you have room , she says that a across-the-board path " can feel more invite and encourage more frequent interaction with your garden . " If you are very scant on blank space , your pathway width can be as picayune as 18 to 30 inches on the back side of each bottom , which will be enough to get your body through for less regular harvests and basic cleanup .
If you aregoing to be harvestingfrom only one side of a raised bed , it should be no wide than 3 feet ; if you ’ll be able to touch it from both sides , you may go up to 4 metrical foot wide of the mark or so . To make harvesting gentle on your back and genu , go for a bed that ’s 2 metrical unit improbable or higher .
How to Mock Up a Raised Bed Layout
Once you ’ve nibble your patch and have a raised bed layout in head , start map out it out before you commit . " Put a mates of weeks into playing with the outer space in your mind , " recommends Metz . " I do n’t reckon a clearly - cut layout always derail off . “To game out different scenario , urge Metz , start with a informal survey , or , if you want to be precise , a to - scale draftsmanship on grid paper . " Google Maps can also be a good mode to get an overview of your blank , " he says .
Then take your vision out of doors . " you may use stake and string to try out unlike contour , " says Burke . Another joke of hers : use of goods and services weather sheet folded up to the size of beds you ’re think about , placing them around the yard in different ways . " It ’s dissimilar from cosmic string , because it will aid you visualize what the yard will feel like when that blank is consumed by lift bed . "
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
Credit:Eric Kelley
Credit:Eric Kelley
Credit:Marion Brenner
Credit:Eric Kelley
Credit:Cathy and Garret Poshusta
