Raised Garden Bed Ideas: 10 Materials, Heights and Layouts, Before and After

The best raised garden bed ideas answer three questions: what the bed is made of, how tall it is, and how the beds sit in your yard. Cedar or metal, ankle-high or waist-high, a neat grid or one bed along the fence.

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Below are 10 raised bed ideas shown as before and after pictures, each labelled with its material and layout. After them: a materials table with what extension services say about food safety, how tall and wide a bed should be, path widths, a soil table for common bed sizes, where to put the beds, and raised bed ideas for UK gardens. The exact instructions we used are further down, so you can try any of them on a photo of your own yard.

10 raised garden bed ideas, before and after

In each pair, the left image was generated by AI as a stand-in for an ordinary yard, and the right image is that same picture edited by AI from a written instruction. These are not photos of real customer homes. We made them with our own AI model, which is not one of the models you can pick in the landscape tool, so a render in the tool may look different. We made each pair once; two edits missed the instruction, so we reworded those two and ran them again, as their captions say. The exact instructions are further down the page.

AI-generated example: a flat suburban backyard lawn with a tall brown wooden privacy fence, a beige two-story house at the left and a concrete walk at the bottom left — Cedar, grid of four. Already in the before: the lawn, the fence, the house and the concrete walk. What followed the instruction: four cedar beds about a foot tall in two rows of two, with pale gravel paths around them, planted with lettuces, staked tomatoes and herbs. Our first run drew only three beds, so we reworded the instruction to say "exactly four" and "two rows of two" and ran it twice more; this is the better of those two runs. What it changed on its own: the gravel now covers the concrete walk at the bottom left, and the house looks a little smaller and further away. Several separate beds with paths between them mean you can reach the middle of each bed without stepping on the soil.

AI-edited version of the same image: four cedar raised garden beds in a two-by-two grid on pale gravel, planted with lettuces, staked tomatoes and herbs, in a fenced backyard — Cedar, grid of four. Already in the before: the lawn, the fence, the house and the concrete walk. What followed the instruction: four cedar beds about a foot tall in two rows of two, with pale gravel paths around them, planted with lettuces, staked tomatoes and herbs. Our first run drew only three beds, so we reworded the instruction to say "exactly four" and "two rows of two" and ran it twice more; this is the better of those two runs. What it changed on its own: the gravel now covers the concrete walk at the bottom left, and the house looks a little smaller and further away. Several separate beds with paths between them mean you can reach the middle of each bed without stepping on the soil.

AI-generated example: a patchy backyard lawn with a grey chain-link fence, a small tree and the white vinyl wall of a house on the right — Galvanized metal, three in a row. Already in the before: the patchy lawn, the chain-link fence, the small tree and the house wall. What followed the instruction: three oval galvanized beds with wood-chip mulch between them, planted with kale-like greens and orange marigolds. What it did not follow: the beds look like livestock water troughs and lower than the two feet we asked for, and the weeds around them are still there. Before you buy metal, read the galvanized row in the materials table below.

AI-edited version of the same image: three oval galvanized metal raised beds side by side with brown wood-chip mulch between them, planted with leafy greens and orange marigolds — Galvanized metal, three in a row. Already in the before: the patchy lawn, the chain-link fence, the small tree and the house wall. What followed the instruction: three oval galvanized beds with wood-chip mulch between them, planted with kale-like greens and orange marigolds. What it did not follow: the beds look like livestock water troughs and lower than the two feet we asked for, and the weeds around them are still there. Before you buy metal, read the galvanized row in the materials table below.

AI-generated example: a lawn sloping up to a wooden fence with weeds in the grass, and the corner of a grey house with a small deck at the left — Natural stone, tiered. Already in the before: the slope, the fence, the house corner and the deck. What followed the instruction: raised beds with walls of stacked grey stone, stone steps up the middle, and strawberries, herbs and squash. What it did not follow: we asked for three terraces and it drew two, and the weeds in the lawn are still there. If you build in stone or brick, the RHS says masonry walls over 20cm (8 in) should be mortared and sit on footings.

AI-edited version of the same image: stacked grey stone raised beds in two levels on the slope with stone steps up the middle, planted with strawberries, herbs and squash — Natural stone, tiered. Already in the before: the slope, the fence, the house corner and the deck. What followed the instruction: raised beds with walls of stacked grey stone, stone steps up the middle, and strawberries, herbs and squash. What it did not follow: we asked for three terraces and it drew two, and the weeds in the lawn are still there. If you build in stone or brick, the RHS says masonry walls over 20cm (8 in) should be mortared and sit on footings.

AI-generated example: the front of a red brick one-story house with a white door and a concrete walk running through the lawn to the door — Brick, front yard. Already in the before: the house, the door, the walk and the lawn. What followed the instruction: a long red brick bed on each side of the walk, planted with purple flowers that look like salvia or lavender, white flowers, herbs and lettuces. What it did not follow: we asked for flowers spilling over the edges, and nothing does. None of the top raised bed idea pages we read shows a front-yard bed; brick that matches the house is one way to make food growing look at home by the street.

AI-edited version of the same image: a long low red brick raised bed on each side of the front walk, planted with purple and white flowers, herbs and lettuces — Brick, front yard. Already in the before: the house, the door, the walk and the lawn. What followed the instruction: a long red brick bed on each side of the walk, planted with purple flowers that look like salvia or lavender, white flowers, herbs and lettuces. What it did not follow: we asked for flowers spilling over the edges, and nothing does. None of the top raised bed idea pages we read shows a front-yard bed; brick that matches the house is one way to make food growing look at home by the street.

AI-generated example: a flat backyard lawn with a low white picket fence and trees beyond it — Cedar, U-shape. Already in the before: the lawn, the picket fence and the trees. What followed the instruction: one cedar bed in a U open toward the camera, with lawn in the middle, planted with tomatoes, lettuces and flowers. What it did not follow: it looks about a foot and a half tall, not the two feet we asked for. A U gives a lot of bed in one spot and lets you work from the middle; each arm still needs to be narrow enough to reach across, which most sources put at 3 to 4 feet when you can reach from both sides.

AI-edited version of the same image: one U-shaped cedar raised garden bed open toward the camera with grass inside the U, planted with tomatoes, basil, lettuces and orange nasturtiums — Cedar, U-shape. Already in the before: the lawn, the picket fence and the trees. What followed the instruction: one cedar bed in a U open toward the camera, with lawn in the middle, planted with tomatoes, lettuces and flowers. What it did not follow: it looks about a foot and a half tall, not the two feet we asked for. A U gives a lot of bed in one spot and lets you work from the middle; each arm still needs to be narrow enough to reach across, which most sources put at 3 to 4 feet when you can reach from both sides.

AI-generated example: a narrow backyard with a strip of lawn along a tall horizontal-slat wooden fence and the edge of a concrete patio — Stained wood, along a fence. Already in the before: the fence, the lawn and the patio edge. What followed the instruction: a long narrow dark wood bed down the whole fence, with black grid trellis panels fixed above it. What it did not follow: the vines are young and only climb part of the way, and the bed looks lower than the foot and a half we asked for. A bed you can reach from one side only should be narrower: 1.5 to 2 feet (Iowa State) or 2 to 3 feet (the Old Farmer's Almanac). Gardeners' World notes that beds by a fence can sit in a rain shadow, so check them after rain.

AI-edited version of the same image: a long narrow dark wood raised bed running the length of the fence with black metal grid trellis panels above it and young climbing vines — Stained wood, along a fence. Already in the before: the fence, the lawn and the patio edge. What followed the instruction: a long narrow dark wood bed down the whole fence, with black grid trellis panels fixed above it. What it did not follow: the vines are young and only climb part of the way, and the bed looks lower than the foot and a half we asked for. A bed you can reach from one side only should be narrower: 1.5 to 2 feet (Iowa State) or 2 to 3 feet (the Old Farmer's Almanac). Gardeners' World notes that beds by a fence can sit in a rain shadow, so check them after rain.

AI-generated example: the empty corner of a grey concrete patio behind a white house with a sliding glass door and a wooden fence — Cedar, elevated on legs. Already in the before: the patio, the house, the sliding door and the fence. Our first run drew three planter boxes sitting flat on the patio with no legs, so we reworded the instruction to ask for long legs with open space underneath and ran it again twice; this is the better of those two runs. What followed: two cedar boxes on legs, planted with lettuces, herbs and strawberries. What it did not follow: the soil sits at about knee-to-thigh height, not the waist height we asked for. For a real stand-up planter, Iowa State gives 30 to 33 inches to the top of the bed. An elevated box holds less soil, so it suits greens and herbs: UMD gives at least 8 inches of soil for leafy greens on a hard surface.

AI-edited version of the same image: two cedar raised planter boxes on wooden legs in the corner of the patio, planted with lettuces, herbs and strawberries — Cedar, elevated on legs. Already in the before: the patio, the house, the sliding door and the fence. Our first run drew three planter boxes sitting flat on the patio with no legs, so we reworded the instruction to ask for long legs with open space underneath and ran it again twice; this is the better of those two runs. What followed: two cedar boxes on legs, planted with lettuces, herbs and strawberries. What it did not follow: the soil sits at about knee-to-thigh height, not the waist height we asked for. For a real stand-up planter, Iowa State gives 30 to 33 inches to the top of the bed. An elevated box holds less soil, so it suits greens and herbs: UMD gives at least 8 inches of soil for leafy greens on a hard surface.

AI-generated example: a patch of bare brown dirt with weeds in front of a wooden fence, with a small shed at the right — Concrete block, two beds. Already in the before: the dirt, the fence and the shed. What followed the instruction: two grey block beds, one planted with herbs and one with tomatoes, and some straw on the ground between them. What it did not follow: we asked for two rectangles with herbs in the open holes of the blocks; one bed came out L-shaped with a divider, and the holes are not planted. The weeds are still there. UMD calls intact concrete blocks generally safe for food gardening, and UF/IFAS notes they can raise the soil pH, an effect that declines over time.

AI-edited version of the same image: two grey concrete block raised beds, one rectangular with herbs and one L-shaped with tomato plants, with straw between them — Concrete block, two beds. Already in the before: the dirt, the fence and the shed. What followed the instruction: two grey block beds, one planted with herbs and one with tomatoes, and some straw on the ground between them. What it did not follow: we asked for two rectangles with herbs in the open holes of the blocks; one bed came out L-shaped with a divider, and the holes are not planted. The weeds are still there. UMD calls intact concrete blocks generally safe for food gardening, and UF/IFAS notes they can raise the soil pH, an effect that declines over time.

AI-generated example: a small rear garden of a brick terraced house with a lawn, wooden fence panels and a paved area by the back door, under an overcast sky — Timber sleepers, UK garden. Already in the before: the terraced house, the fence panels and the paving. What followed the instruction: three sleeper beds side by side, with runner beans on canes, lettuces and cabbages. What it did not follow: we asked for a bark path between the beds; there is none, and the bark chips ended up inside the middle bed. If you build with sleepers, buy new ones: the RHS says creosote-treated railway sleepers are no longer permitted in the garden.

AI-edited version of the same image: three raised beds of weathered timber sleepers side by side, planted with runner beans on bamboo canes, lettuces and cabbages — Timber sleepers, UK garden. Already in the before: the terraced house, the fence panels and the paving. What followed the instruction: three sleeper beds side by side, with runner beans on canes, lettuces and cabbages. What it did not follow: we asked for a bark path between the beds; there is none, and the bark chips ended up inside the middle bed. If you build with sleepers, buy new ones: the RHS says creosote-treated railway sleepers are no longer permitted in the garden.

AI-generated example: a flat backyard lawn with a tall wooden fence and a large maple tree at the back — Cedar, two beds with an arch. Already in the before: the lawn, the fence and the maple. What followed the instruction: two long cedar beds with a gravel path between them, and arches over the path covered in vines with hanging beans. What it changed on its own: we asked for one arch and it drew two frames, and it added a third small bed at the back. An arch puts climbing squash and beans over the path instead of across the bed, which leaves more of the bed for other crops.

AI-edited version of the same image: two long cedar raised beds with a gravel path between them and metal arch trellises over the path covered in climbing squash vines and hanging beans — Cedar, two beds with an arch. Already in the before: the lawn, the fence and the maple. What followed the instruction: two long cedar beds with a gravel path between them, and arches over the path covered in vines with hanging beans. What it changed on its own: we asked for one arch and it drew two frames, and it added a third small bed at the back. An arch puts climbing squash and beans over the path instead of across the bed, which leaves more of the bed for other crops.

Raised garden bed materials compared

Most raised bed idea pages pick a material by looks. The question people ask next is whether it is safe for food, and the sources disagree on some materials. This table puts what each source says side by side. Where they disagree, we say so.

Raised bed materials: what extension services and garden bodies say
Material	What the sources say	Watch for
Cedar or redwood	"More expensive but are a long-lasting, safe choice" (Oregon State). The Old Farmer's Almanac says cedar can last 10 to 15 years; no extension page we read gives a figure.	Price.
Untreated pine or fir	Safe for food crops. UF/IFAS says it begins rotting within a year; in an Oregon State trial, untreated boxes showed decay after 6 years.	Shorter life; plan to replace boards.
Modern pressure-treated wood (CA, ACQ, MCA)	Oregon State measured copper rising only within 1 inch of the bed edge and no increase in vegetables and herbs (only CA-C on Douglas-fir was tested). UMD calls MCA low in toxicity. Clemson cites a UC4A or higher label for garden use.	Penn State Master Gardeners (York) say not to use wood treated with any preservative. If you are unsure, use cedar or untreated wood.
Old CCA lumber (before 2004)	Residential CCA was discontinued in 2004 (UMD). Older treated timber may contain arsenic (UF/IFAS).	Not recommended for gardens (Iowa State). Skip reclaimed lumber of unknown age.
Railroad ties (creosote)	Never use them (Illinois, Iowa State). The RHS says creosote sleepers are no longer permitted in the garden.	The Almanac and Missouri say old ties are not harmful; we follow the extension services and the RHS.
Galvanized metal	UMD lists galvanized steel as a rust-resistant choice. Iowa State says galvanized metal may leach trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead or cadmium.	Sources disagree; some gardeners line metal beds.
Concrete block	Generally safe for food gardening while the blocks stay intact; they may contain fly ash and can be sealed with polymer paint (UMD).	May make the soil more alkaline, an effect that declines over time (UF/IFAS).
Brick or stone	Long-lasting and suits a front yard or a slope.	Masonry walls over 20cm (8 in) should be mortared on footings (RHS).
New timber sleepers (UK)	Sturdy and easy to stack, offsetting each layer (Homebuilding).	Avoid tar- or creosote-treated sleepers (Gardeners' World, RHS).

How tall and deep a raised bed should be

Height is about two things: how much soil the roots get, and how far you have to bend. A bed on top of good garden soil can be shallow, because roots grow down into the ground below. A bed on a patio or a hard surface has to hold all the soil the crop needs.

Most beds: 6 to 12 inches tall (Illinois). 11 inches is common because it is two 2x6 boards (Iowa State).
Soil depth for crops: Most garden crops need at least 10 inches of soil (UGA). Shallow-rooted crops need about 6 inches; carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and squash need 12 to 18 inches (the Old Farmer's Almanac).
On a hard surface: At least 8 inches deep for leafy greens, beans and cucumbers, and 12 to 24 inches for peppers, tomatoes and squash (UMD).
Wheelchair access: About 24 inches tall (Illinois, UGA), or 2 to 3 feet (Iowa State). Forward reach from a wheelchair is about 30 inches (Iowa State).
No bending: 36 inches off the ground helps avoid bending over (UGA). Tabletop planters on legs are 30 to 33 inches to the top of the bed (Iowa State).
Tall wooden beds: Beds taller than 12 inches need cross-supports (the Almanac). Oregon State says to reinforce beds longer than 6 feet or taller than about 18 inches.

Raised bed sizes and path widths

Width is set by your reach: you should get to the middle of the bed without stepping on the soil. Length is up to you.

Reached from both sides: 3 to 4 feet wide (Clemson, Iowa State). UGA gives 3 feet for children and 4 feet for adults.
Reached from one side: 1.5 to 2 feet wide (Iowa State); 2 to 3 feet against a wall or fence (the Almanac).
Length: A 4 by 8 foot bed is popular (Penn State Master Gardeners) and is easiest to build with 8-foot lumber; lumber cost rises noticeably past 12 feet (UGA).
Paths on foot: 12 inches at the very least, 18 to 24 inches is ideal (UGA); 18 inches or more (UF/IFAS).
Paths for a wheelbarrow: 2 to 3 feet (Missouri); 3 feet between beds (UF/IFAS).
Paths for a wheelchair or cart: 4 feet between beds (UGA); at least 1m (3.5 ft) for a wheelchair (RHS).

How much soil a raised bed needs

To work out the soil, multiply length by width by depth in feet. That gives cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards. Illinois Extension uses the same formula. The table below is our own arithmetic for common bed sizes, with bag counts rounded up.

Soil needed for common raised bed sizes (our own arithmetic, rounded up)
Bed size and depth	Cubic feet	Cubic yards	1.5 cu ft bags	2 cu ft bags
4 x 8 ft, 6 in deep	16	0.59	11	8
4 x 8 ft, 8 in deep	21.3	0.79	15	11
4 x 8 ft, 10 in deep	26.7	0.99	18	14
4 x 8 ft, 12 in deep	32	1.19	22	16
4 x 8 ft, 18 in deep	48	1.78	32	24
4 x 8 ft, 24 in deep	64	2.37	43	32
3 x 6 ft, 12 in deep	18	0.67	12	9
2 x 8 ft, 12 in deep	16	0.59	11	8
4 x 4 ft, 12 in deep	16	0.59	11	8

Our 4 by 4 foot figure matches the 11 bags Scotts gives for that size. Two 2x6 boards make a bed about 11 inches deep, not 12, so it needs a little less. Soil settles: the RHS fills to about 5cm (2 in) below the rim, so keep some back for topping up.

What to fill it with varies by source. A 1:1 mix of compost and topsoil (Illinois), or 1:2 to 1:1 compost to topsoil (UMD). Iowa State gives about 70% topsoil and 30% compost, or equal parts topsoil, organic matter and coarse sand. The Almanac suggests 40% compost, 40% topsoil and 20% material for aeration. Clemson keeps compost to 10 to 20% of the volume.

Raised bed layouts: grid, U-shape, tiered, along a fence and keyhole

The layout decides how much bed you get and how easily you reach it. These are the layouts the top raised bed idea pages show, and where you can see one above.

Grid of separate beds: Several beds of the same size with paths between, like example 1. Easy to reach, easy to rotate crops.
U-shape: One bed wrapped around a path, like example 5. More growing space in one spot; keep each arm narrow enough to reach.
Tiered on a slope: Beds stepped up a hill, like example 3. Each level is a flat bed, so water does not run straight off.
Along a fence: A narrow bed with a trellis on the fence above it, like example 6. Keep it 1.5 to 3 feet wide, since you reach from one side.
Elevated on legs: A box on legs for a patio or for no bending, like example 7. Less soil, so best for greens and herbs.
Front-yard beds: Low beds in brick or stone that match the house, like example 4.
Keyhole: A round bed with a notch cut in so you can reach the middle, often with a compost basket at the center. We do not show one above; describe it in Custom mode to try it on your yard.

Where to put a raised garden bed

Sun: At least six hours of direct sun a day (Clemson, Iowa State); the Almanac says 6 to 8.
Direction: Run long beds north to south so both sides get even light (Iowa State, UGA, RHS).
Warmth and water: Raised beds warm up earlier in spring and dry out faster than ground beds (Clemson, UMD, Iowa State, RHS), so put them where a hose reaches.
Next to a fence or wall: Beds there can sit in a rain shadow and get less rain (Gardeners' World).

Raised bed ideas for UK gardens

UK raised bed ideas lean on railway sleepers, scaffold boards, gravel boards and planters on legs, with sizes in metres. The RHS and BBC Gardeners' World give the main numbers.

Width: Under 1.5m (5ft) lets you reach the centre (RHS); Gardeners' World also gives about 1.5m as the maximum.
Depth: 30cm (1ft) is deep enough for salad leaves and strawberries; most fruit bushes need 45cm (18in) or more (RHS).
Paths: At least 45cm (18in) for a wheelbarrow and 1m (3.5ft) for a wheelchair (RHS).
Sleepers or scaffold boards: Scaffold boards are one of the cheapest options but don't last as long as sleepers (Gardeners' World). Stack sleepers with each layer offset (Homebuilding), and avoid tar- or creosote-treated ones.
A seat on the edge: Gardeners' World suggests an edge around 40 to 50cm high and 20cm or more wide if you want to sit on it.
Filling: The RHS mix is three parts organic matter, two parts sharp sand and seven parts topsoil, filled to about 5cm below the rim.

How to try a raised bed on a photo of your yard

Take a photo of the spot from where you would normally stand, in daylight, with the whole area in frame.
Open the landscape tool, choose Custom, and paste one of the instructions below into the Custom Design Requirements box.
Change the material, the number of beds, the height and what must stay, then generate.
If it misses something, as several of our examples did, reword that part and run it again.

The picture shows the look and the layout. It does not measure your yard, so check widths and heights against the numbers above before you buy lumber.

Raised bed instructions to paste into Custom mode

These are the exact instructions we used for the 10 examples above, in the same order (for examples 1 and 7, the reworded second version). In the landscape tool, choose Custom, paste one into the Custom Design Requirements box, then upload a photo of your yard. Swap in your own material, the number of beds, the height and what must stay.

Change ONLY the lawn: add exactly four separate rectangular raised garden beds made of natural cedar boards, about one foot tall, laid out in a two-by-two grid of two rows of two beds with wide pale gravel paths between and around them, the beds filled with dark soil and planted with lettuces, tomatoes on stakes, peppers and herbs. Keep the fence, the house, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the lawn: add three long oval raised garden beds made of galvanized corrugated metal, about two feet tall, set side by side with brown wood-chip mulch paths between them, filled with soil and planted with kale, chard, bush beans and orange marigolds. Keep the fence, the tree, the house wall, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the sloping lawn: turn it into three stepped terraces of raised beds with low walls of stacked natural grey stone, each terrace about one and a half feet higher than the one below, with stone steps up the middle, the beds planted with strawberries, herbs and squash. Keep the fence, the house, the deck, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the lawn on both sides of the walk: add a long low raised bed of red brick on each side of the walk, about eighteen inches tall, planted neatly with herbs, lettuces and low flowers such as purple salvia and white alyssum spilling over the edges. Keep the house, the door, the walk, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the middle of the lawn: add one U-shaped raised garden bed built from cedar boards, about two feet tall, open toward the camera with a grass path leading into the middle of the U, filled with soil and planted with tomatoes, basil, lettuces and nasturtiums. Keep the fence, the trees, the rest of the lawn, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the strip of lawn along the fence: add a long narrow raised bed made of dark stained wood boards, about two feet wide and one and a half feet tall, running the full length of the fence, with black metal grid trellis panels fixed to the fence above it and climbing cucumbers and pole beans growing up them. Keep the fence, the patio, the rest of the lawn, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the empty corner of the patio: add two tall elevated raised garden beds standing on four long wooden legs, the soil box raised to waist height about three feet off the concrete with open space visible underneath each one, built from cedar boards, each about two feet wide and four feet long, planted with lettuces, herbs and strawberries. Keep the house, the sliding door, the patio, the fence, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the bare dirt: add two rectangular raised garden beds built from grey concrete blocks laid in one course, with the open holes of the blocks planted with herbs, the beds filled with dark soil and planted with tomatoes and peppers, and straw mulch paths between the beds. Keep the fence, the shed, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the lawn: replace it with three raised beds made of oak railway sleepers stacked two high, with a bark chip path between them, planted with runner beans on bamboo canes, lettuces, chard and herbs. Keep the house, the fence panels, the paved area, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.
Change ONLY the middle of the lawn: add two long parallel raised garden beds made of cedar boards with a gravel path between them, and a metal arch trellis spanning the path from one bed to the other, covered with climbing squash vines and hanging green beans. Keep the fence, the tree, the rest of the lawn, the sky and the camera angle exactly the same.

Try a raised bed on my yard photo

Raised garden bed questions

How wide should a raised garden bed be?

3 to 4 feet wide if you can reach it from both sides (Clemson, Iowa State), and 1.5 to 3 feet if it sits against a fence or wall and you reach from one side (Iowa State, the Old Farmer's Almanac). In the UK, the RHS says under 1.5m.

How deep should a raised garden bed be?

Most crops need at least 10 inches of soil (UGA). Shallow-rooted crops manage with about 6 inches, while carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and squash want 12 to 18 inches (the Almanac). On a patio or other hard surface, UMD gives at least 8 inches for leafy greens and 12 to 24 inches for peppers, tomatoes and squash.

Is pressure-treated wood safe for a raised garden bed?

Modern treated wood is a different product from the old arsenic-based CCA lumber, which was discontinued for home use in 2004. In an Oregon State trial, copper from treated boards rose only within 1 inch of the bed edge, with no increase in the vegetables. Some sources, such as Penn State Master Gardeners in York, still say to use untreated wood. Never use pre-2004 lumber or creosote railroad ties.

What is the best wood for a raised garden bed?

Cedar or redwood: Oregon State calls them more expensive but long-lasting and safe. Untreated pine or fir is safe too but rots sooner.

How much soil do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?

At 12 inches deep, 32 cubic feet, about 1.2 cubic yards, or 22 bags of 1.5 cubic feet. Built from two 2x6 boards (about 11 inches), it is about 29 cubic feet. That is our own arithmetic: length x width x depth in feet.

What should I fill a raised garden bed with?

A mix of topsoil and compost. Illinois Extension uses 1:1; Iowa State gives about 70% topsoil and 30% compost; the RHS uses seven parts topsoil, three parts organic matter and two parts sharp sand.

Which direction should a raised bed face?

Run long beds north to south so both sides get even light (Iowa State, UGA, RHS), in a spot with at least six hours of direct sun.

Can I see a raised garden bed on a photo of my own yard?

Yes. Upload a photo to the landscape tool, choose Custom, and describe the beds: material, how many, how tall and what must stay. The result is a picture for planning, not a measured plan.

Is the raised garden bed tool free?

You need an account, and it is free: 1 free render with a free account, and free renders carry a watermark. A paid plan gives you more renders and removes the watermark.

Sources for the raised bed facts

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Raised Garden Bed Ideas: 10 Materials, Heights and Layouts, Before and After

10 raised garden bed ideas, before and after

1. Four cedar beds in a grid with gravel paths

2. Galvanized metal beds with wood-chip paths

3. Stone terraces on a sloping yard

4. Brick beds along a front walk

5. A U-shaped cedar bed you can step into

6. A narrow bed along the fence with a trellis

7. Elevated cedar beds on legs on a patio

8. Concrete block beds on bare dirt

9. Railway sleeper beds in a UK garden

10. Two cedar beds joined by an arch trellis