The popularity of gardening with raised garden beds has skyrocketed. There are as many advantages to this concept as there are ways and materials to build the beds.

· Accessibility - Raised beds are much easier to work than just plain old flat ground. There are some planters available that offer a ledge where you can kneel or sit. There are even some raised beds that are handicapped accessible. They are the perfect height for working your garden from a wheelchair.

· Drainage - The soil drainage will improve markedly in a raised garden bed. No more soggy roots to contend with.

· Soil quality - Most raised garden beds will be filled with purchased top soil or similar dirt. You can even amend the soil to meet the needs of plants in each garden bed.

· Temperature - The temperature in a raised bed will be warmer earlier in the season allowing you to get a jump start on things. Also, if you need to cover a raised bed on certain cold nights, it is much easier than trying to cover an entire garden. You can just fashion a hoop out of PVC and put your frost proof covering over it. Or, there are even manufactured covers which you may purchase.

· Soil - Your soil is not being stomped on all of the time as you are making your way through the garden, which makes it denser.

The materials available to build these are countless - just use your imagination.

· Recycled plastics - There are many commercially made raised garden beds available with recycled plastics. Some are even made of recycled milk jugs. They are available in different sizes, heights and even colors. Some are available as snap together components. You can even make a design rather than a square or rectangle.

· Lumber - Some will choose to make their garden beds out of cedar or redwood. They are rot resistant, but will not last nearly as long as recycled plastics. Treated lumber is not recommended due to the possibility of chemicals leaching into the soil.

· Cinder blocks - These are readily available at home and garden centers. They are virtually indestructible.

· Galvanized steel - You can even use galvanized steel to build a raised garden bed. I saw one at a garden show one time. They had it painted and decorated on the outside.

Whether you are growing vegetables, herbs or flowers, raised garden beds are definitely a worthwhile investment in time and money. If you use maintenance free materials, once they are built they should last the better part of your gardening lifetime. Get creative and get busy gardening.