RAISING the stakes

Raised beds are an immensely flexible addition to a garden, either as an intrinsic part of a new design that injects appealing geometry or simply integrated into an established garden to add an architectural element. In confined plots, they can be built alongside walls or fences to maximise the space available, or an entire garden area can be designed as a series of raised beds, creating a low-maintenance scheme.

Equally at home in city or rural settings, raised beds can be designed in an infinite number of configurations, ranging from a formal parterre or an arrangement of non-uniform shapes to a single planter overflowing with vegetables.

‘Raised beds come in many guises,’ points out Kate Gould, an award-winning garden designer. ‘You could even consider a glorified trough a sort of raised bed simply because it is