Raised flower beds are a great solution to eliminating common gardening problems like waterlogged soils, cooling temperatures, and they can even help to control weeds from growing. Raised beds can also help with small spaces, from being built on your lawn to growing on a patio or balcony. With so much flexibility, getting your own raised flower bed started is actually easier to build than you think.

Whether you are short on gardening space or simply live in a wetter climate like we do here in the Greater Vancouver area in the Pacific Northwest, raised flower beds are easy enough for any DIY enthusiast to build. With that in mind, the team at Bur-Han put together this step-by-step guide for building your own raised flower bed.

  1. Measure and mark your bed: In order to build your raised bed, you need to have the right dimensions. If you’re building a raised bed right onto your lawn, you can measure out a space right on your lawn. Live in an apartment with a balcony? Measure how wide and deep your balcony is to be able to fit the bed into your space.
  2. Build the base: 2x4s or 4×4 wooden planks will be your best friends when building a raised flower bed. Don’t forget, you can also get a metal base or use plastic containers as long as you allow for water drainage at the bottom.
  3. Add some structural integrity: Using wooden stakes on the sides of your base will help preserve the structure of your raised bed. If you are digging the stakes into your lawn, don’t forget to use screws to keep the stake fastened to the walls of the bed.
  4. Choose your soil: Make sure you choose the right kind of soil for the plants that will grow in your raised bed.
  5. Get planting!

For more useful tips on getting your new garden project ready this fall, check out this handy guide from BHG.com!