Raised garden beds and other way to add a vertical element to your garden

Many homeowners and outdoor designers get stuck on the idea that landscape design is only about the horizontal aspects of the yard. More thoughtful ones, however, realize that adding some height to a backyard space adds not only a dramatic visual element but also some valuable functionality. Here are just a few ideas to help get you started on “building up” your backyard space:

 

Add raised garden beds

Adding this backyard space works on many levels. It allows you to create an ideal growing medium for your your flowers or vegetable garden and also creates an enhanced viewing or working platform.

Just frame out the space with wood, stone or plastic and fill with the best growing materials at your disposal. Then include the plants of your choice, sit back and enjoy.

 

 

Install planters on your deck

While some homeowners will opt for the mobility and versatility of simple garden pots, there are some distinct advantages to using raised planters in a backyard landscape. They add privacy by blocking the view and external noise, attract birds and butterflies to the space if planted properly and can also have an aesthetic sense all their own.

 

Build a terraced hillside

For homes with a seemingly unusable hillside, a terraced garden may be the ideal solution. Start by cutting several tiers in the hill, then run a suitable sets of steps down the middle of the space so that you can view the terraces from up close. While you can just sit and admire the view from the bottom, it is especially nice to place a piece of art or a fountain at the top of the steps to create a destination for your guests.

 

Include sunken walkways

It is not always necessary to go up to create a vertical element, if your garden is already established, consider excavating a step-down, sunken-pathway though your raised garden beds. It creates a very interesting path for your guests, gives them a better view of your flowers and can even be beneficial to the flowers themselves by adding extra drainage.

As you can see, adding a vertical element to your garden can be as simple or as complicated as you desire. The effort of installing anything from simple raised garden beds to highly convoluted garden walkways, however, will always be worth it – for you, for your guests and for your plants.

 

See our range of macrocarpa and corrugated steel raised garden beds here. Or if you have a need for a landscape construction service in the Waikato we recommend Outdoor Effects.