English Garden Raised beds - 7 Great Material Choices

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The English have always been known for their horticultural prowess and reputation for building exceptional gardens. Raised beds have featured within English gardens for many centuries providing both elevation and visual interest.

As English gardens place an emphasis upon spectacular planting design, raised beds have always had multiple benefits. Raised borders have allowed English gardeners to fill beds with good quality topsoil and organic matter. This means richer growing conditions and improved soil drainage!

​In this article I will list 7 main building materials for creating raised beds within English gardens. From traditional to contemporary there is a raised bed type for every English garden theme here!

​English Garden Raised bed layout

​Historically English gardens would lay out raised beds in a specific way to allow easy access to planting areas. Pathways would dissect raised beds so gardeners could easily stretch in and maintain plantings. Such raised bed layouts were common place within traditional English walled gardens. These gardens were where many food crops and vegetables were grown. 
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​When it comes to English garden raised bed layout design the biggest influence was the 1600’s. During this time gardens were influenced by more classical styles of geometric shapes and symmetry. Raised beds would make up intricate landscape patterns and walkways. For modern English gardens however it is more practical for raised beds to line fences as well as garden perimeters and boundaries. 

 7 materials for raised beds in English gardens

​1. Dry stone walls

​Dry stone walling is an ancient art and one which has been practiced in Britain for centuries. Traditional dry stone walls are built from loose rock and stone found locally within specific regions. These walls are typical of western and northern England where they are used to partition fields. Dry stone walls can be an authentic and stylish way to build English raised beds.

​2. Rustic red brick

​Bricks have been utilised within English gardens for centuries. Traditionally bricks are used to build steps, retaining walls and of course raised beds. Rustic red bricks can provide the perfect building material to create robust and durable borders. England has a long history of brick production with many regions having the perfect clay for making bricks.

​3. Rendered concrete block

​Concrete blocks are a robust and sturdy building material for building any type of raised bed. When rendered and painted concrete blocks can provide a more contemporary feel to English gardens. Raised beds built in this way can be capped with copings that match surrounding paving. This can bring a consistency and fluidity to the garden design. 

​4. Flint

​Flint is a type of rock which is extremely common throughout the English countryside. In areas where it is common such as the Chilterns it has been used as a contextual building material. Flint has been traditionally used to build historical buildings such as cottages, churches and garden walls. Very often wall piers are built with brick and the centre filled with flint. 

​5. Clad Concrete block

​The great thing about building raised beds with concrete block is they can be clad in any material. This is particularly useful if you want to emphasise a specific aesthetic to your English garden. If you want to create a traditional look you can use a dry stone wall cladding like in the image below. Alternatively if you want a contemporary English garden you may prefer a modern stack cladding. 

​6. Natural stone walling

​Natural stone walling is similar to dry stone walling with the stone cut into blocks for easy laying. Instead of laying random stones in a dry wall these blocks are laid with mortar like bricks. These natural stone blocks are now widely available and typically cut from sandstones. The stone walling below is cut from sandstone which has radiant tones and colours. 

​7. Timber sleepers

​Timber sleepers are large and robust sections of timber originally produced to support railway lines. Being extremely durable, weather resistant and slightly flexible they are perfect for outdoor construction. With a natural aesthetic and fast to put together they are perfect for creating raised beds within English gardens. 

Thank you for reading our article on English garden raised beds! Below I will link some other English garden articles you may find informative. 

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