Raised Beds
How to build a raised garden bed using garden walls.
Raised garden beds are popular in many gardens for lots of reasons. As a unique feature they can provide a visual impact within a garden. Raised garden wall flower beds are also good for the more elderly gardener, as they provide maintenance of the bed without the associated stress on the lower back. The raised bed featured in this project uses our garden wall product Anchor Bayfield®- however it could just as easily be built using Anchor Windsor Stone® . This project is based on gravity walls only. Reinforced walls require the wall to be professionally designed. Acheson & Glover offer this exclusive service to home owners via our retaining wall expert. If you are interested in this service click here to fill in further details about your project.
Gravity walls resist the forces of soil through the weight and set-back of the garden wall blocks. Gravity walls are low height walls that can stand on their own without reinforcement Gravity walls are typically 2-3 feet (600mm - 900mm) high.
1) Decide how many flower beds you would like – and whether you would like steps within the design of the planter. This can be an ideal addition to the design, as it enables more precise pruning or care of the fauna if needs be. Decide how large the final bed will be, and how high they should be – it is a good idea to consult with the end user on this one! Let your imagination go!
2) Calculate how much material you will need. Decide on how many courses (each block stacked on top of another represents one course). Click here for our block calculator to work out how many blocks you need.
3) Layout your design using a hose pipe to mark the area. If you are creating more than one bed make sure to leave adequate room between the beds for a path. If you decide against building steps into the project remember that your beds should be built in such a way so you can reach the middle of the bed from both sides, especially if you'll use them for labor-intensive crops such as vegetables or if you are using plants which require frequent pruning.
4) Decide on which block you are using an create your foundations as described in our how to build garden walls project. Compact the soil with a plate vibrator, and follow the remaining steps in the how to build garden wall project.
5) Fill the remaining part of the bed with good quality topsoil, as this will provide the home for your plants in the years to come! On this particular project the topsoil provides a good enough method for drainage, and the water will infiltrate through the soil into the garden. Brush any loose soil from the garden wall caps and your done! To view photos of garden walls click on the link. You can also view further photos of garden beds.
To discuss raised garden beds in the forum click here.
