Three Fantastic Methods to Construct Raised Beds in Your Garden

As you get on in years, you start to notice that jobs begin to take a little bit longer to do than they used to. You may also find that getting down onto your knees and back up isn’t as easy as it once was. Yes, you are aging, and there is nothing you can do about it. You can try to exercise and keep fit, but the chances are that you will need new knees or hip joints when you wear them out.

It is time to make plans for when things get even harder. Garden maintenance is a huge chore around the home, but luckily there are things you can do to make it easier to manage in the future. We are going to take a look at a few methods of building raised beds today, so that you don’t have to bend over so far when you are old.

Wooden Blocks

As in this image, you can construct a raised bed using wooden blocks and pegs. They come in kit form with a set of instructions for you to follow. You knock the plastic fixings into the holes in the blocks to join them together. They are an attractive, but expensive choice, in my opinion.

You must look after the timber as you maintain your decking. Treat it with a preservative every few years to keep it looking good. They are not suitable for building large raised beds because their strength comes from the box shape.

Bricks or Blocks

If you want a permanent solution for your garden, think about using bricks or blocks to create them. The guys at ProActive Landscaping say that people are happy to pay a little extra for quality, and that is what you get with attractive walls. Here is how to build one yourself.

• Dig a foundation trench for your wall. Make it twelve inches wide by eight inches deep.
• Half fill the trench with sand and hardcore, and ram it until it is solid. Take your time on this part of the job; it is crucial to the strength of the structure.
• Fill the rest of the trench with concrete and allow it to set overnight.
• Lay the bricks or blocks up to the level that you require. Check the levels regularly to make sure the wall is true.
• Line the raised bed with a waterproof membrane.
• Fill the bed with soil and compost.

Railway Sleepers

The third, and most attractive method of building raised beds is with reclaimed railway sleepers. You have two options; either lie and stack them horizontally or dig a trench and bury them vertically. The advantage with the latter is that you can cut a wave shape into the top of the sleepers, with a chainsaw.

If you are laying the sleepers horizontally, you must drill and fix them together with long coach bolts. It is hard work, and you will need a socket and wrench for driving the fixings. Stagger all of the joints and overlap the corners.

Sleepers look natural in the garden and give it a rustic feel. They will last for decades because of the preservation treatments they received when they were new.

The effort you put into raising the beds now will repay you tenfold in years to come. They are attractive garden features too, so it is a win-win project. I think it’s time I made a start on mine; time is wasting.