Just because you own a small garden or yard, that shouldn’t keep you from gardening and enjoying all manner of flowers, vegetables, and other plants. Raised beds for small gardens offer some great benefits over planting in the ground. They allow you to control the planting medium and they offer better drainage.
In order to work with the space you have, you may need to get creative. You can make your own raised garden bed ideas for smaller plots, but some pre-made beds come in smaller sizes, too. There are some great ideas to get you started at the Gardening Know How Shop. Use whatever you can to make it work for you. These raised bed ideas for small gardens allow you to think laterally while successfully showcasing the plants you want to grow.
Creating Small Garden Raised Beds
The best raised beds in a small garden are those that make best use of space without compromising on healthy plant growth. Just be sure you leave enough space around the bed to access the plants and keep them at their best.
While you may be able to find pre-made beds to fit your yard, you can also consider making your own. Good small raised bed designs involve creating vertical growing spaces or upcycling materials to create your ideal small raised bed garden layout.
Smaller yards and gardens require more planning and creativity than large expanses. But don’t let a small space limit you. These ideas for small garden raised beds will help you to think big!
1. Use Corrugated Metal Beds
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Corrugated metal makes a great wall for a small raised bed garden because it is inexpensive, easy to work with, and adaptable to different sizes and shapes. You can find rolls of corrugated metal designed to be used in the garden.
Unroll the metal and shape it into any type of bed you want. Use a rubber mallet to secure the metal to the ground. You can make metal raised garden beds that are small or narrow (or both), depending on your yard’s dimensions. You can also save space and materials by using a wall or fence on one side of the bed.
Corrugated Metal Raised Bed Ideas
Custom kits allow you to dream big with small spaces – and be sure of great quality results. Check out these corrugated Vego Garden kits and packs.
2. Make Modular Beds
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Many pre-made raised beds come in standard sizes that may be too big for your small yard. You can get hold of modular bed kits that allow you to vary the overall shape and size according to your garden’s capacity. Modular bed kits mean you can build your small raised bed garden layout around a neat, unified concept while retaining flexibility and planting freedom.
You can adapt kits like Vego Garden’s 6-in-1 Modular Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit, available in the Gardening Know How Shop to make different configurations. These kits are perfect for small or unusually shaped spaces, as well as urban gardens, patios and balconies. Use them combined, or separately in various corners of the garden wherever they fit. It’s a highly adaptable style of raised bed that you can tweak over time when you fancy a change.
3. Try Concrete Block Raised Beds
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Concrete blocks can also be used like modular units to create the right sizes and shapes you need to fit your space. You can easily make your own raised garden beds for small spaces by using concrete blocks as the walls or edges of the beds. These concrete block or cinder block garden beds can be safely filled with edible plants as well as ornamentals.
This is a great solution if you’re not handy with tools or have little experience building anything. All you need to do to create a bed is to arrange the concrete blocks. There are plenty of possibilities for sizes and shapes. You can even grow small plants like annual flowers in the holes of the blocks themselves.
4. Grow Upwards With Vertical Spaces
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One way to make the most of less space is to grow upwards. You can do this by creating a living wall. Hang a structure on a wall or fence to grow plants vertically. If you’re crafty, a shipping pallet is a great starting point for a hanging, vertical garden.
Small plants like herbs or vining plants like clematis, tomatoes or beans are ideal for easy vertical gardening hacks. A living wall requires extra maintenance and some structural work, so it’s not for everyone – but it’s a good way to make more space.
If you’re less crafty, try a cascading metal raised bed kit. Kits like Vego Garden’s Cascading Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit, available in the Gardening Know How Shop, allow you to deploy useful vertical space as well as horizontal space. It fits nicely against a wall or a corner, allowing you to grow more of the plants you fancy.
5. Try Upcycled Raised Beds
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Raised garden beds for small spaces aren’t limited to traditional materials. Use what you have at hand or can find to make a smaller bed that fits your garden (and aspirations!). Here are some ideas for objects that make great small raised beds:
- Galvanized steel tubs
- Old vehicle tires
- Wooden pallets
- Old dresser drawers
- Railroad ties
- Reclaimed wood
- Old barrels
- Plastic storage bins
Just be sure that any materials you use for DIY recycled raised garden beds have good drainage. For instance, you’ll need to drill holes in an old tub to use it as a bed. Also, be sure that any reclaimed wood you use has not been chemically treated. That way, you can safely grow edibles as well as ornamental plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Shape Should Raised Beds Be in a Small Garden?
Raised beds for small gardens can be any shape, but square or rectangular shapes make the most efficient use of available space.
How Big Should Raised Beds Be in a Small Garden?
Raised beds in a small garden are generally smaller than average, but any size that fits the space and still allows you to move around the bed and access plants will work.
More Great Small Garden Ideas to Try
- For a striking visual statement in small gardens, try a DIY raised bed with a bright uplifting wood. Find out why and how to make a cedar raised garden bed design work for you.
- Looking for bright and cheerful ornamentals to raise small garden bed displays? These quintessential raised flower bed ideas will turbocharge even tiny spaces with big, bold hues.
- Stuck for sublime designs that can elevate modest garden spaces? Get stuck into these contemporary small garden ideas and add a touch of class to compact yards and gardens.
- Just because your front garden is on the tiny side, that doesn’t mean you can’t grow ornamentals with the wow factor. Try these small front garden ideas and go big on blooms and foliage.
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