Whether you're gardening on a balcony, a backyard, or a rooftop, raised beds and planters are the secret to growing success in any space. These smart solutions take your green thumb to new heights, literally! By giving you better soil control, easy accessibility, and a stylish setup to match your outdoor vibe.
From rustic cedar frames to self-watering pots, the Planters & Raised Beds Collection at Nature Hills is packed with tools for every gardener. Whether you're sowing seeds on a sprawling plot or sprucing up a sunny windowsill, there's a container garden that fits just right.
What Is a Raised Bed?
A raised bed is simply a planting area built above ground, framed by materials like wood, stone, or metal. It can be as permanent or temporary as you need! Think of it as a garden with a frame, neat, tidy, and totally under your control!
Raised beds are typically 6 to 24 inches tall and allow you to bring in high-quality soil, boost drainage, and warm up the ground faster in spring. They're great for vegetable plots, cut flower gardens, or even just showcasing your favorite plants.
Common Types of Raised Beds
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Wooden Frames: Rustic and renewable, Cedar and Redwood are naturally rot-resistant and perfect for organic gardens.
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Metal & Composite Beds: Long-lasting, sleek, and modern, ideal for contemporary outdoor spaces. Modular Metal raised beds are available in a wide variety of colors and sizes, like the 4-in-1 17" Bed, 9-in-1 17" Bed, Round 17", and 10-in-1 32" oblong.
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Elevated Planter Boxes: These stand at waist height for easy access and are great for decks, patios, and gardeners with mobility concerns. Try Deluxe PopUp Garden.
- Grow Bags & Portable Beds: Lightweight fabric or plastic options that can be set up on balconies or moved with the seasons. Check out the Smart Pot 10 gallon, or the long Smart Pot Grow Beds!
Why Use Raised Beds & Planters?
Soil Control & Better Roots
Raised beds allow you to choose your soil blend, ideal for plants that need excellent drainage or specific pH levels (like Blueberries). Less compaction and fewer weeds mean healthier roots and happier plants.
Stylish & Space-Smart
From decorative ceramic planters to rustic cedar boxes, planters add a decorative flair while maximizing space, especially on patios for container gardeners or balcony gardeners!
Easier Gardening for All
No more stooping or digging deep! Raised beds are easier on the back, make weeding less of a chore, and are great for accessible or senior-friendly gardening.
Use Raised Beds To Grow...
- Vegetables & Herbs: Tomatoes, Basil, Lettuce, and Carrots all flourish in the loose, fertile soil of a raised bed.
- Cut Flowers: Zinnias, Cosmos, Snapdragons, and Dahlias bloom like royalty when well-fed and well-drained.
- Pollinator Plants: Coneflowers, Bee Balm, and Milkweed draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds right to your garden's edge.
- Edible Landscaping: From compact fruit trees to Lavender and Strawberries, you can create an edible landscape right outside your door.
Berms: Raised Beds Without Borders
A berm is a mound or slope of soil used in landscaping. Unlike framed raised beds, berms are freeform and often used to improve drainage, create privacy, or enhance garden aesthetics with curves and layers.
These sloped beds are ideal for:
- Rock gardens (check out how to build one)
- Pollinator pathways
- Flower beds in need of good runoff
- Adding visual interest to flat yards
- Compensating for poorly draining soil - create a raised bed 18-24 inches higher than the water table to raise the roots up over the soggy area.
Or build your own Hügelkultur raised bed, which is a sloped and raised planting bed filled with topsoil, wood, and organic materials. European people have practiced it as a gardening method for hundreds of years. “Hügelkultur” (pronounced hyoo-gul-kulture) is a German word that means mound culture or hill culture.
Tips & Tricks For Successful Raised Bed Gardening
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Location Matters: Place your beds in a sunny spot with good airflow. Or choose shade if you are growing shade-loving plants.
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Layer the Soil: Fill with a mix of compost, loamy garden soil, and well-aged manure. You can even create a lasagna garden (layering organic matter) for excellent results.
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Use Arborist Mulch: Conserve moisture and suppress weeds with arborist mulch.
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Start Small: A 4x4-foot bed is a great size to manage. Grow what you love and expand later.
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Water Wisely: Use the Finger Test to check if plants need a drink.
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Deadhead spent blooms for more flowers and better-looking plants. Learn how to deadhead like a pro.
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Use Trellises & Supports: Help climbing plants like Beans, Cucumbers, or Clematis reach for the sky.
- Rotate Crops: Don't plant the same veggies in the same spot every year. Rotation reduces pests and soil depletion.
Put Down Roots, Even Without Ground!
No backyard? No problem. Raised beds and planters let Ma Nature meet you where you are, on a balcony, a deck, or even your driveway. They bring the joy of growing to any corner of your world, from blooming balconies to thriving porch tomatoes.
Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or a sprout-loving rookie, find planters and raised beds at Nature Hills and more is what you need to get growing!
Happy Planting!
