Raised-Bed Landscape Planters
and Berms
Use raised beds or berms on grade or above ground level to add interest to a flat site or to improve drainage in areas with problem soils.
Features to Improve Landscape Sites
Whether planting beds for shrubs and small trees are at ground level or raised above ground level, they add visual interest to your landscape.
In areas of poor soil, raised beds filled with amended topsoil rich in organic matter provides helps plants grow that might otherwise struggle.
Traditional raised beds use stones, bricks, structural timbers, planks, or other hardscape construction materials. These simply hold the bed’s soil in place and add beauty to the bed.
Raising a berm accomplishes the same purpose but replaces the hard edgings with a graded rise. Berms are excellent for contouring a garden, and they have a very natural appearance.
Choice of which to build—a raised-bed or berm planter—depends entirely on your vision of the finished landscape’s appeal. Always choose materials to complement or contrast with the style, color, and details of your home.
Beds can be formal and geometric in shape, or they can be freeform. Regardless of the type of bed you are preparing, start by laying out the shape of the bed on the site’s soil. Many find using a flexible garden hose or rope is helpful while trying different shapes and locations.
Move the hose or rope around until the size and shape of the bed is exactly to your liking. Once you’re satisfied, mark the outline with baking flour, marking paint, or stakes and string.
You can make a simple raised-bed planter by following our instructions, or build one that is more complex [See: Building a Simple Landscape Planter].
In most cases, you’ll add amended topsoil to fill the bed or raise the berm to its final height.
If the planting bed will be raised 12 inches (30 cm) or more off the ground, always mix the topsoil into the native soil to at least a depth of 6 in. (15 cm). For beds built directly on the soil—or for lower raised beds—work the new soil into your native soil at least 12 in. (30 cm).
Planning for Automated Watering Systems
With in-ground irrigation, keeping your plants watered becomes almost effortless. Because automatic irrigation makes it so convenient to water, you’re more likely to give your plants the right amount at the right time.
Use an automated irrigation system to keep your plants healthy through regular applications of the right amount of water.
If you plan to build a raised bed, the best time to place the supply lines during its construction [See: Installing Automatic Irrigation]. It’s far easier to install water supply lines, risers, and spray heads or drip emitters now rather than retrofit a bed after planting.