Building a raised flower bed is a great way to add some colour and life to your garden. It’s easy to do, and you don’t need to be a gardening expert to make a beautiful one.
Plus, raised flower beds are perfect if you’ve got poor soil or want to keep your flowers away from weeds. Here’s a simple guide on how to build a raised flower bed that’ll make your garden pop.
Here’s how to build a raised flower bed
Choose your location
The first thing you need to do when planning how to build a raised flower bed is decide where you want to put it. Choose a spot that gets plenty of sunlight because most flowers love it. If your spot gets about 6 hours of sunlight a day, that’s perfect. You should also think about how easy it’ll be to water the bed, and make sure the area is flat to avoid problems later. When choosing the location for your flower beds, think about accessibility and how much attention your flowers will need throughout the seasons.
Pick the right size for your flower beds
Now that you’ve chosen your spot, think about how big you want your flower bed to be. When learning how to build a raised flower bed, remember that they come in all sizes, so you can make it as long or as wide as you need. But keep in mind, the wider the bed, the harder it might be to reach the middle when you’re planting or weeding. A good rule of thumb is to keep your flower bed no wider than 4 feet (1.2 meters) so you can reach every corner easily.
Gather your materials
Next up, you’ll need to gather some materials to build your flower bed. You’ll need wood, bricks, or any other material you like to create the sides of your bed.
Wood is a popular choice because it’s easy to work with and looks nice, but you can also use stone or cinder blocks if you prefer something more solid. Here’s a list of things you’ll need:
- Wood (like pine or cedar)
- Nails or screws
- A hammer or drill
- A saw (if you need to cut the wood)
- Landscaping fabric (optional, to prevent weeds)
- Soil and compost
If you’re using wood, try to get something that can withstand the weather, like treated wood or cedar, which will last longer outdoors.
Build the frame for your flower beds
Once you’ve got everything you need, it’s time to start building your raised flower bed. When learning how to build a raised flower bed, if you’re using wood, you’ll need to measure and cut your wood to the right size. For a simple rectangular bed, you’ll need four pieces of wood: two for the length and two for the width.
Once you have them cut, use nails or screws to attach the pieces together to form the frame. You can make it as tall as you want, but around 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) is a good height for most flower beds.
If you’re using bricks or cinder blocks, just stack them on top of each other to form the sides of your flower bed. You might want to put some mortar between them to keep them in place, but that’s up to you.
Add some landscaping fabric (optional)
Before you start filling your flower bed with soil, you might want to add some landscaping fabric to the bottom of your bed. This helps prevent weeds from growing through your flowers. When learning how to build a raised flower bed, this is an optional step, but if you don’t want to deal with weeds later on, it’s worth doing.
Lay the fabric across the bottom of the bed and trim it to fit. If you’re using a raised bed that’s on the ground, you’ll want the fabric to cover the entire bottom. If it’s a raised bed off the ground, just make sure the fabric covers the area where the soil will go.
Fill the flower bed with soil
Now, it’s time for the fun part: filling your raised flower bed with soil. When figuring out how to build a raised flower bed, you’ll need a mix of good-quality garden soil and compost. The compost will help your flowers grow better by adding nutrients to the soil. Fill your flower bed with the soil mixture until it’s about an inch or two below the top of the frame. Don’t pack it too tightly—leave a little room for the flowers to spread their roots.
Once you’ve added the soil, give it a light tap to settle it in. You can add more soil if needed, just make sure it’s level with the top of the frame.
Choose the right flowers for your flower bed
Now comes the fun part—picking flowers! The best part about raised flower beds is that you can plant a wide variety of flowers in them, so you can mix and match colours and types. You can even plant flowers that don’t do well in your normal garden soil, since you control the soil in your raised bed.
Consider choosing flowers that are suited to your climate and the amount of sunlight your flower bed gets. If your raised bed is in full sun, try flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, or petunias. If it’s more shaded, go for something like impatiens, begonias, or ferns. It’s also good to choose a mix of annuals and perennials for a flower bed that looks great all year round.
Plant your flowers
When you’re ready to plant, start by digging small holes for each flower. Make sure the holes are the right size for the plants you’re putting in. Then, gently remove the flowers from their pots and place them in the holes. Fill the holes with soil, pat them down lightly, and water the plants.
Don’t forget to space the flowers out so they have room to grow. You can arrange them in a pattern or just scatter them around for a more natural look—whatever works for you!
Water your flowers
Once your flowers are planted, water them well. Flower beds need regular watering, especially when they’re newly planted. Be sure to water the soil, not the flowers themselves, to avoid getting the petals wet. Check the soil every couple of days to make sure it stays moist, but not too soggy.
Take care of your flower bed
To keep your raised flower bed looking great, make sure you water it regularly, remove any dead flowers, and pull out weeds if they pop up. You can also add a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain moisture and keep the soil cool.
Building a raised flower bed is an easy and rewarding project that will make your garden look amazing. By choosing the right spot, building the frame, adding soil, and picking flowers, you can create a beautiful space that you’ll enjoy all year round. Whether you’re planting your first flower bed or adding to an existing garden, these simple steps will help you make a flower bed that will thrive and bring you joy.