Raised Garden Bed Ideas: 11 Stylish And Practical Ways To Grow Flowers And Veg
Raised Garden bed ideas offer the solution for many common gardeners' woes, from sore knees to poor soil conditions. They can also make a stunning feature for an outdoor space, adding extra height and interest when filled with beautiful flowers, vegetables, and even shrubs.
If you suffer from joint or mobility problems, then raised garden beds can be built at just the right height for you to plant and prune in comfort. You could even make the frame wide enough to double as a seat, from which you can take in the sights and scents of your garden. In terms of soil, raised garden beds present the perfect opportunity to create your own weed-free base, tailored to the needs of the plants you really want to grow. They're ideal for keeping maintenance down and helping your flowers and crops to flourish.
There are lots of styles to choose from, too. From woven looks to rustic garden sleepers, we've rounded up some of our favorite raised garden bed ideas to get you inspired. Plus there's plenty of practical tips and advice, too.
BY MELANIE GRIFFITHS , HOLLY CROSSLEY
In The Garden: Papio Pianist Has Keyboard Walkway In One Of Her Many Garden Beds
Sylvia Black sits in the wicker chair in her shed in the evenings, sometimes with a glass of wine, jotting down notes and dreaming about the surrounding gardens.
Strolls through her flower-filled Papillion property spur even more creativity.
"It's like the trees and the plants almost talk to me," she said. "I'll think, 'That's what I need to do there.'"
After nearly 40 years at her home, there's very little grass left in the backyard. It's filled with garden areas that each have their own inspiration.
The pathway in the music section was built by Sylvia's husband Kerry, a civil engineer, and painted by Sylvia, a pianist, to resemble a piano keyboard. She planted symphony astilbe and added a flute figurine for daughter Marianne, an accomplished flutist. Wind chimes add their deep tones.
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Crabapples that she planted when Marianne and her sister Margaret were born can be found there. Son Michael was in the Air Force and the elm planted at his birth has grown immense next to the red, white and blue garden. The American flag hangs on the flag post. There's a hammock, too.
A goldfish pond that Margaret wanted for her 10th birthday sits near the kid's village built for the Black's soon-to-be three grandchildren.
One 6-year-old grandson calls himself the champion weeder.
"He's good at it, too," Sylvia said. "He's not OK unless he sees that long root come up with it."
Sylvia spends at least three hours a day in the summer working on her gardens. Being part of the "Walk Through the Gardens" tour in Papillion on Saturday has given her even more impetus to get things in shape.
To do its part to stop food insecurity the Papillion Junior Woman's Club is sponsoring its fourth annual tour, which will benefit the NeighborGood Community Pantry. Nonperishable food items and monetary donations will be accepted at each garden. The tour runs from 9 a.M. To noon.
Kerry Black isn't as fond of gardening as his wife, but Sylvia said he's the good soldier that built her shed, her raised vegetable beds and many other projects.
She'll find ideas from experts she follows on social media such as the Garden Answer and Wyse Guide.
The woman behind Garden Answer, which is based in Oregon, has taught Black about color combinations and layering. She now likes really full beds.
"My eye for things has changed," she said. "I cannot watch a video from her without taking something away from it."
She doesn't have a favorite flower; she just likes to try new things. Her first attempt at seed starting last winter was addicting.
Most of all, though, she loves the peace she finds in her gardens.
"It's actually therapy for me," she said. "It's calming. Just the sunshine and physical activity and movement makes me mentally and physically healthy. I just love to grow things."
811 Fort Circle: Garden features a piano keyboard walkway as well as another path down memory lane. Trees planted on the days of her children's births, an arbor used at her daughter's wedding, a stained glass window from the church Sylvia Black was married in are all incorporated into one garden.
1106 Lafayette Drive: Backyard is a serene and peaceful oasis. (Except when a fox comes strolling through.) Snuggled in this oasis are two ponds with streams. Pops of color add to the beauty. The front yard features a pondless waterfall.
1210 Cottonwood Circle: Bougainvillea blooms on the front porch. Hydrangeas line the white fence. Daisies, larkspur, lilies and phlox are everywhere.
Butterfly Garden at Vets Park, Monroe and Halleck Streets: Birds, butterflies and bees have found a home there in its third year. Includes plants such as rattlesnake master, hoary vervain, Verbena Bonariensis and many variations of milkweed.
Nominations sought for arboretum awards
The nomination process for the 2023 Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Awards is open now through Sept. 29. Individuals and/or organizations may be nominated in the following categories:
Blazing Star Award: Recognizes an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution toward advancing the horticultural use of native plants or the restoration of native plant communities in Nebraska.
Johnny Appleseed Award: Recognizes an individual who embodies the generous spirit of Johnny Appleseed through a sustained personal involvement in tree-planting in Nebraska.
Educator Award: Recognizes educators who have made an outstanding contribution toward advancing the knowledge and appreciation of plants among their students.
Community Landscape Award: Recognizes individuals, groups, businesses or organizations (including units of government) for the implementation of a landscape project or activity that has significantly improved the green infrastructure of a community. Such projects should reach beyond beautification to include elements of sustainability such as water conservation, stormwater management, land stewardship, tree-canopy restoration, habitat, biodiversity, soil improvements, education and outreach, native plants, etc.
"The annual Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Awards offer an opportunity to shine the spotlight on those who are making a difference in the environment and in the communities we call home," said Hanna Pinneo, executive director of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. "It's a privilege to honor those who are doing such good, important work to help foster vibrant communities and a resilient environment."
To nominate an individual or organization for an NSA Award, visit plantnebraska.Org/awards and complete and submit the electronic nomination form. Contact Hanna Pinneo at [email protected] with questions.
The awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 3.
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The Best Flowers And Perennials To Plant In Your Garden This Fall
Here Are the 15 Best Fall Flowers and PerennialsTeddi Yaeger Photography - Getty Images
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As summer winds down, the flowers in your garden may be looking a little tired and faded. But you don't have to stop enjoying your landscape when autumn arrives. It's time for a whole new season of color and beauty!
Whether you want to expand your garden beds or refresh container plantings for autumn, many types of fall flowers don't start to show off until the leaves begin to turn. Adding fall flowers to your garden makes sitting on your deck or patio much more appealing in the cool of an autumn evening, too. Fall-blooming flowers also are an important source of food for pollinators late in the season.
Fall actually is an ideal time to plant perennials and shrubs, when temperatures are cooler and rain fall is plentiful. Just make sure they're suited to withstand winters in your USDA Hardiness zone (find your zone here). Also, plant at least six weeks before the ground freezes so your new plants can establish healthy root systems before winter. That's typically about mid-November for much of the country.
Ahead, our favorite fall flowers to plant for amazing autumn color.
CaryopterisThis handsome shrub starts blooming in late summer and early fall. Its handsome blue flowers are pollinator favorites.
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ChrysanthemumMums are always a favorite fall flower because they come in every color imaginable from creamy white to hot pink. Plant them as early as possible in late summer or fall so they can establish roots to survive winter and return next year.
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Canna LilyYou may think of canna as a summer flower for its tropical appearance with its big, bold banana-like leaves. But its exotic-looking flowers keep blooming until a frost, so you can enjoy their color well into fall. In zones 6 or colder, you'll need to dig up the rhizomes after a frost to save them for replanting next spring.
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AsterThese pretty, fringy flowers come in shades of pink and purple and bloom in profusion about the same time as mums. Pollinators love them!
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HeucheraThis handsome plant is grown more for its striking foliage, which comes in colors ranging from lime green to dark burgundy. It has a handsome mounding form that especially appealing when planted in groups. It also does well in containers.
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Montauk DaisyThis sturdy perennial has leathery green leaves and classic bright white daisies that bloom very late in the season. In warmer climates, it can thrive well into November.
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SedumThere are many types of sedum but the upright forms are great choices for providing lasting fall color. Sedum are easy to grow, tolerate poor soils, and bloom for weeks and weeks. They also provide much-needed late-season nectar for pollinators.
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Blanket FlowerThe bright colors of blanket flower make them a welcome addition to the autumn garden. Bees and butterflies love it!
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Russian SageThe handsome silvery foliage and purple spikes of flowers make this perennial a lovely addition to the garden. It blooms for weeks from midsummer to fall.
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Shrub RoseRoses aren't as fussy as you think. Shrub roses are one of the easiest types to grow, and they will bloom well until a frost, so they're a great addition for color from spring to fall.
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Japanese AnemoneThe delicate flowers of Japanese anemone bob in the wind on long stems. They bloom for weeks from late summer to fall.
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ConeflowerThis prairie native has cone-shaped flowers that keep going strong throughout the fall. It's available in an array of colors from hot pink to deep coral to creamy white.
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HydrangeaHydrangeas bloom from mid-summer all the way through fall. They come in an array of sizes, so read the description on the plant tag or label so you know what you're buying.
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Black-Eyed SusanIt's impossible not to love the smiley faces of black-eyed Susan. This North American native blooms from late summer to fall.
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Rose of SharonWhen the rest of the garden has faded, rose of Sharon still goes strong. New types grow in a columnar form, so they work even in compact spaces.
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