Amanda Prahl
Raised beds are a big trend in home gardens these days. They’re particularly popular in urban areas, where people have to be efficient with what little space they have. Raised planters aren’t just for small spaces, though—anyone can build and appreciate one with any of these easy kits!
As the demand has increased, many companies have started manufacturing premade raised garden bed kits. These come with all the materials and instructions you’ll need to build your raised garden.
They’re also available in several different shapes and varieties, with different materials, all of which offer certain advantages. Check our guide below to find the perfect garden bed kit for you.
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Best Tall Bed: Jumbl Raised Canadian Cedar
The Jumbl Raised Canadian Cedar Garden Bed isn’t just a raised bed, but literally tall enough that you can garden in it without even having to bend or kneel. It’s a long, nearly three-foot garden bed with plenty of drainage for easy gardening without the pain (literally). Plus, the cedar wood provides long-term stability and durability against the elements; most cedar beds like this can last between ten and fifteen years.
Also worth considering, if you’re willing to trade a few years of durability for a lower price point, is the Best Choice Products Raised Garden Bed. It has a similar structure as the option above, but with one major difference: It’s made of fir, rather than cedar.
Fir garden beds tend to have a shorter lifespan of around five to seven years—about half of what you can expect from a cedar model. Still, if price is a major factor, it’s definitely an option to think about!
Best Multi-Tier: YAHEETECH Three-Tier
For extra visual interest, the YAHEETECH Three-Tier Raised Garden Bed Kit actually constructs three “steps” of garden beds, all connected in a staggered design. It’s not just beautiful to look at; it’s particularly useful if you’re interested in growing different plants that might not always grow well together in the same garden space.
For a long-lasting cedar alternative, try the Giantex Three-Tier Wooden Elevated Garden Bed. Made from 100% cedar, the three-tiered garden bed is super sturdy and can hold up to anything the weather throws at it. The two top tiers, with their deeper beds, are perfect for growing vegetables and other plants with deep roots, while shallower-rooted plants will be at home on the lowest tier.
Best for Composting: Vita Bed
Get environmentally friendly with a U-shaped garden bed like the Vita Composting Raised Garden Bed. Similar to keyhole gardening, the idea behind this raised bed design is to have a compost pile in the center to use your scraps and naturally fertilize your garden. The U-shaped bed also makes it easy to reach all parts of your garden to trim, check, and water.
Composting is a great way to make your garden environmentally friendly and reduce waste. You can use cuttings from your garden, kitchen scraps, and more to create your own natural fertilizer as part of the garden kit, with the structure of the garden bed allowing all those nutrients to directly help the growing process.
Best for Beginners: Best Choice Products Kit
For raised-gardening newbies, the Best Choice Products Outdoor Raised Garden Bed is truly as simple as it gets. The kit provides all the materials to construct a simple garden bed made from sturdy fir wood, 10 inches tall/deep, that can be divided into two separate sections with premade panels that assemble easily.
Best Metal Bed: KING BIRD Galvanized Steel
Wood is the most common material used to make raised garden beds, but it’s not the only one. If you’re interested in experimenting with a metal garden bed, try the KING BIRD Two-Ply Galvanized Steel Metal Planter Kit.
In terms of style and design, it’s still a traditional, rectangular, raised garden bed, but it’s made from metal instead of just wood for a sturdy reinforced bed that can hold up to the elements.
The secret to the structure is its combination of double card frames for stability and a galvanized exterior for durability. Together, these elements help to create a bed that’s unusually sturdy and easy to use. The look is definitely different from the standard wood bed, but it’s a creative alternative that works surprisingly well.
Easiest to Assemble: Giantex Planter Box
Building a raised garden bed isn’t something that only experienced carpenters can do! With the Giantex Raised Garden Bed Planter kit, it’s easy for anyone, even a beginner, to assemble a raised planter. It’s a simple, straightforward, wooden raised planter, made from sturdy fir wood and with super-easy assembly—all the hardware included and the panels have pre-drilled holes.
For a cedar alternative, the Rhino Garden Supply Kit is equally easy to assemble, but with a few bonus features. The kit includes precut cedar planks with predrilled holes. “Assembly” just means stacking the boards correctly, lining up the holes, then dropping the included steel rods into the holes.
On top of the easy assembly, the kit comes with a cut-to-size weed barrier that’s ready to install—all you have to do is place it in the finished garden bed before you start planting!
Best Grid-Style: Vita Gardens with Grow Grid
If you’re looking for a unique way to switch up your planting patterns, the Vita Gardens Garden Bed with Grow Grid can help! Grid growing is a great technique for growing more in a smaller area by allowing plants to sit more closely together. In most cases, it allows you to make the most of smaller spaces—and because raised-bed gardening often takes place in smaller spaces in the first place, it’s a perfect solution!
This raised bed comes with adjustable dividers to customize the garden bed to have as many or as few sections as desired. You can get up to 16 individual squares in the grid (a 4×4 grid pattern), or just divide the garden bed into a couple of sections. It’s easy to assemble and totally customizable, making it the ideal option for gardeners looking to mix up their gardens without too much fuss.
