3 Coolest Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Consider

If you don’t want to work with the soil in your backyard, constructing and using raised garden bed ideas can make gardening that much easier in nearly any geographic locale.

For instance, if you live in the drier, western states, raised gardens beds will ensure your plants will have enough access to nutrient-dense planting soil that isn’t otherwise present in that area’s natural soil.

Furthermore, if you live in areas that are subject to seasonal changes, raised garden beds will give you a longer growing season than growing out of the soil in your backyard.

Raised garden beds have a wide variety of benefits. They act as a sort of protective barrier that helps your plants grow to the fullest.

They encourage aeration and proper drainage, all while minimizing the damage done by weeds and pests.

Not only are they practical, but they are also beautiful. When done correctly, raised garden beds can really accentuate a yard.

This article is going to gloss over our favorite raised growing bed ideas, why we love them, and how they are built.

All of our choices are do-it-yourself projects. There is no need to hire a professional crew if you are looking to save some money.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what raised garden bed ideas we are just absolutely in love with.

Chicken Coop Raised Bed

Interestingly enough, many townships have ordinances that allow chickens. Those residents are jumping at the opportunity to raise their own egg-laying hens.

It is all the craze in California, with rich Silicone Valley residents spending thousands of dollars on their unique chicken coops.

This trend has become a bit of a social fad in richer communities. However, there is also an extremely practical benefit to raising your own chickens. You get a near-constant supply of eggs, and you get natural fertilizer in your backyard.

What we love is taking this idea to the next level and putting a raised garden bed on top of the chicken coop.

If you are going with this idea, you don’t want to have an incredibly tall chicken coop. You will want it reasonably close to the ground. This will make your life easier when it comes to tending the raised garden.

This is our absolute favorite idea. Building a chicken coop big enough to fit roughly 4 to 5 chickens will give you more than enough space for an adequate raised garden bed.

If you don’t want to build the chicken coop yourself, you can also buy fully constructed coops for a relatively reasonable price.

You can even order and have it delivered to your door via major websites like Wayfair, with smaller coops selling for anywhere between 80 to 400 dollars.

If you want to build your own coop, here’s a great website for finding plans that work well for you. It also walks you through how big the coop should be depending on how many chickens you are getting. It also includes what you should include in your own DIY coop.

When choosing which chicken coop you might want to build, make sure that you don’t opt for a peaked roof.

While the slant would provide ultimate drainage for the raised garden bed, it would also make it hard to maintain. It would only work for durable plants such as succulents.

Constructing the Raised Bed

Making the raised bed itself is relatively easy. We suggest you use a tin roof for the chicken coop. The raised portions of the tin will help aerate the soil and make for ultimate drainage.

Secure wood that is about 6 to 12 inches wide. Box off the roof of the chicken coop. Then put a small layer of gravel on top of the tin and inside the box you just created. The gravel ensures drainage and keeps the soil from leaking out from under the wood walls.

Fill it with nutrient-dense planting and potting soil, and plant whatever you wish!

They are absolutely beautiful. The raised bed being on top of the chicken coop will keep the chickens out of your vegetables.

Simple Watering Trough Raised Garden Bed Idea

Are you looking for a raised garden bed idea that is relatively simple and requires little to no construction on your part?

Using watering troughs is the answer.

This project is substantially less difficult than the raised chicken coop garden bed. While that one is unique, quirky, and fun, this one is incredibly practical and super easy to install.

Water troughs are large, durable tin tanks that are used to water farm animals. They are circular rectangles and known for their sturdiness.

You can find these water troughs at any Ace Hardware, Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, farming store, or even a larger gardening store.

All you have to do is decide where you want to put them, drills multiple holes in the bottom of the troughs, line the bottom with gravel, and fill them with soil.

You have to drill holes into the bottom of the trough if you are going to use these as a raised garden bed.

If you don’t, there will be absolutely no drainage or aeration, and most of your plants will suffocate before achieving any real growth.

We love this idea for its simplicity and for its beauty.

They are just as appealing as the timber-raised garden beds. In some cases, they are more attractive, especially if you opt for the copper watering troughs.

Cinder Block Raised Garden Bed

This raised garden bed idea is phenomenal in both look, design, and price.

All you need to do is buy enough cinderblocks to build your own 8-by-8 raised garden bed. You can build it any size you want, but 8 by 8 is a fantastic size to start out with.

You can get cinderblocks at any hardware store or Home Depot. They aren’t too expensive and are easy to construct with.

All you need to do is stack the cinder block two or three high in a rectangle or square formation. Fill the holes with gravel about halfway, and then use soil for the other half. This will keep the wall in place.

The holes are also perfect places for planting various herbs, making the wall itself an integral part of the garden.

Fill the center with a layer of gravel and then rich soil and compost. Once it is constructed, you can plant whatever you want.

This is our favorite for ease of construction, looks, and cost. They are absolutely beautiful gardens.

You can also paint the cinder blocks, adding to whatever aesthetic you wish to achieve. We suggest painting on the outside of the bocks only. Exposing your plants to the toxicity of the paint will put them at risk.

Building your Own Raised Garden Bed

All in all, finding ways to grow your own food, or learning how to garden in general, is a fantastic undertaking.

Our society has grown frighteningly detached from the environment, and finding out about how we grow our food and nurture the plants under our care is a wonderful way to connect with Mother Nature.

Raised garden beds don’t have to be difficult either. You can easily build your own by buying a watering trough at your local hardware store or by buying a bunch of cinderblocks.

If you want to go all in a bring some chickens into the mix, putting a raised garden bed on the coop is a wonderful way to tie everything together.

In general, gardening is a great respite from the hectic nature of our society. These unique, simple, and fun raised garden bed ideas will make it easy for you to start gardening in your own backyard, no matter where you live.