Raised Flower Bed Designs: From Easy DIYs to Kits

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

My garden has become a wonderful mix of raised beds that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And there are no rules for what is planted in them. I like to grow lots of flowers among the fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Not only do flowers add color and vibrancy to my vegetable gardens, they attract valuable pollinators. However, if you only want to plant flowers in a raised bed, that’s okay, too! In this article, I’m going to share some inspiration for raised flower bed designs—no matter how you decide to plant them.

There is no one raised bed design that is specifically suited for flowers. And when it comes to materials, there are numerous options, from the most common, which is wood, to galvanized steel, bricks and other upcycled materials, or even just mounded soil. I provide some ideas in both of my books, Raised Bed Revolution and Gardening Your Front Yard. I love that you can create something cheap and easy, or be more elaborate, depending on your time, skills, and budget. There are so many kits available now, compared to when I first started building my wooden raised beds.

Reasons to create a raised flower bed

There is no rule for which raised flower bed designs you can use, but the reasons will differ from gardener to gardener. Here are a few reasons you may wish to have a raised bed flower garden:

To grow cut flowers: If you love arranging bouquets for friends and your own vases, you can create a garden to harvest flowers just as you would edibles.
To create a pollinator haven: A raised bed can become both habitat and a food source for beneficial insects.
To grow a mix of food and flowers: You don’t have to dedicate a raised bed to growing one type of crop. If you’re more keen on flower gardening, but would like to maybe include a tomato plant or two in the mix, you can grow them all together.
To work with the topography of your space: A mounded or terraced raised bed garden may work best if you have different points of elevation on your property.
To grow lots of flowers in a small space: Whether you’re after bouquets, privacy, a riot of blooms (or a mix of all three), a compact or elevated raised bed may be the answer.
To create privacy: I’ve seen some very clever uses of raised beds to form a privacy “hedge” of flowers and shrubs.

a stock tank planted with shrubs and flowers to create privacy — Use an old stock tank to plant a hedge for privacy on a small patio. Here they’ve used cedars, but you could also consider hydrangeas or roses. *Photo courtesy of Proven Winners*

Raised flower bed designs to make from wood

Wood is probably the most common building material to to make raised beds and you don’t need an elaborate plan to make them. Look for rot-resistant varieties, like cedar and hemlock, which will last longer. I have used untreated cedar for most of my raised beds and it usually lasts about eight to 10 years. There are numerous options from my garden and others outlined in my article about raised bed designs.

vegetables and flowers in raised beds — Flowers don’t have to compete with vegetables in raised beds. They can grow in harmony together, like these dahlias and zinnias.

The design of the raised bed pictured below is pretty simple. I used this easy-to-build raised bed plan for my first two raised beds.

Cut two boards that are 1” x 5.25” x 8 feet in half for the ends and use four 1” x 5.25” x 8-foot boards for the two longer sides, stacking them two high.
Use outdoor screws to attach the boards to 4×4 posts that will anchor the raised beds in the ground.
You may also want to add a couple of stakes to the sides if you live in a cold climate as the boards can heave over time. I mention adding stakes in this article.

raised bed illustration — This simple raised bed design can be used to plant food, flowers, and herbs.

Raised flower bed designs for small spaces

Space isn’t an issue when it comes to raised beds because they can be tailored to any size. Even a small raised bed garden can feature food and flowers. Smaller raised beds can also be used to create a sense of privacy in a limited space. Plant them with flowers and even small shrubs to create your own little oasis.

a galvanized steel and wood raised bed on wheels — This raised bed, which I built for my first book, *Raised Bed Revolution*, is made from wood with galvanized steel panels screwed to the inside. It’s on locking caster wheels, so it can be rolled wherever it needs to go. I planted it full of annuals and perennials to attract pollinators to a nearby vegetable garden.

Raised beds for flowers made from kits

I know I’ve built a lot of raised beds from wood, but I love my two raised beds from Sproutbox Garden. Each one comes flat-packed in a box and they are very easy to put together. The raised beds are made from Aluzinc-coated steel and will last way longer than wood. Mine are placed to the side of my front yard, which gets loads of sunshine. I interplant flowers around the veggies that I grow each year—zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, marigolds, and nasturtiums. There are smaller versions available for more compact spaces, as well.

sproutbox garden raised bed planted with vegetables and flowers — My front yard raised beds from Sproutbox Garden are always filled with a mix of vegetables and flowers. The marigolds pictured here are on the side that faces the street. I’ll position taller plants, like zinnias, at the back.

Since I started building my first raised beds there are so many different types of kits that are now available. It’s fun to build your own because it puts you in charge of the materials and design. But, if you don’t have the woodworking expertise or the tools (or time!), kits are a very easy way to get started quickly.

elevated raised beds with flowers — This elevated raised bed kit sits low to the ground and provides a great deal of gardening space within its narrow confines.

Upcycled raised beds for blooms

Anything from bricks to old pavers can be used to shape a raised bed in any size. If it’s shallow, you just want to make sure the soil underneath is workable, so that you’re plants’ roots can extend below the depth of the raised bed.

Similar to the look of the Aluzinc, metal stock tanks are an easy way to set up a raised bed. Their depth is ideal for perennials, as they’ll provide lots of space for the roots. Simply remove the plug at the bottom for drainage and you’re ready to fill with soil.

a stock tank raised bed — This stock tank proves you don’t need an in-ground garden to grow flowers.

Mounding soil to create a raised flower bed

Depending on your space, sometimes you can work with what you’ve got to create a terraced or mounded garden. Be aware of how the rain will affect your garden (and subsequent runoff) when making a plan. Try to avoid only using backfill (if you’ve dug from another area). Focus on building the soil with rich organic matter. Amend the soil well with compost before planting flowers.

a mounded raised flower bed — Soil can be cleverly manipulated to create a more raised flower garden.

Consider planting some perennials with robust root systems, such as ornamental grasses, that will hold the soil in place.