How to create a raised bed for a small tree

Use landscaping timber to create a stylish raised bed that’s perfect for adding instant extra height when planting a smaller tree.

Garden project - raised Bed for a small tree

As seen in kiwigardener

You will need: 50mm galvanised nails, 100mm galvanised nails, drill with 3mm drill bit, exterior construction glue, hammer, paintbrush, paint stirrer, pencil, Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Skywater, sandpaper, saw, set square, square fence capping (approx. 3.2m), tape measure, tongue and groove landscaping timber (approx. 6.4m).

To get the look: Mark painted the background shed wall with Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Blue Moon.

Here's another idea: A raised bed such as this is a great way to add instant height to a small tree – consider other beauties such as Japanese maples, crab apples and Mop Top Robinias.

To finish off: Fill the raised bed with good quality topsoil or potting mix and plant up with a small tree – we chose a 'Vlassoff' fig.

Instructions

 
Step 1 Step one
Measure an 800mm length of landscaping timber.
Step 2 Step two
Use the back of the saw to rule a perpendicular cutting line, as shown. Cut this length of timber and smooth any rough edges with sandpaper.
Step 3 Step three
Repeat steps one and two until you have eight 800mm lengths of landscaping timber.
Step 4 Step four
With the ‘groove’ edge down, place two of the pieces of timber together on a flat surface to form a right angle and drill two 3mm pilot holes at the corner.
Step 5 Step five
Fix these together with 100mm nails.
Step 6 Step six
Repeat with two more pieces of timber until you have a square frame, as shown. Use a set square to ensure corners are at 90 degrees.
Step 7 Step seven
Run a line of construction glue along the ‘tongue’ edge, as shown.
Step 8 Step eight
Fix the second layer of landscaping timber into position, as shown. Again, fix with 100mm nails, drilling pilot holes first.
Step 9 Step nine
Cut four 800mm lengths of fence capping and smooth any rough edges with sandpaper.
Step 10 Step ten
Attach the fence capping to the top edge of the raised bed, fixing with construction glue and 50mm nails.
Step 11 Step eleven
Carefully stir the Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Skywater.
Step 12 Step twelve
Apply two coats of the Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain to the raised bed, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

View more projects

› Download a PDF of this article