Raised flower beds, brick or timber?

hardpressed

Trying to make gardening a little easier on my poor back so have the idea of raised beds round the patio, do I go for brick or timber (sleepers)? Possibly about 18" high and the same wide, or maybe wider. I'm going to have to get someone in to do it. Brick would, I assume last longer but the house is rendered so would it look odd? Live in the country so don't want it to look out of place which I why wonder about wood. Is brick likely to be much more expensive that wood? Any opinions please.

Davesnave

How long do you expect to live? (Not as daft a question as it seems )

Some fence posts I put in over 20 years ago are still rot free, thanks to paying a bit extra and getting them from Jacksons, not B&Q. I imagine their half round horse fencing is similarly robust and I'd use that nailed, or stainless steel screwed, to post uprights to construct rustic beds. Cheaper than sleepers and with no tar problems of the real ones either.

Like this, but a bit better, and not that colour!



Brick will require concrete foundations, cost more, and maybe look out twee & out of place in a rural garden. Although it could outlast wood eventually, that might be of no practical advantage to you, or me.

blossomhill_2

I use link-a-bords - so the answer is "neither" - they have double walls and things stay alive in them over winter here in the SE

demystified

walls require bricks (not cheap), concrete, footings, mortar - and lots of labour (definately not cheap). It's also very permanent.

Wood is cheaper and doesn't require as much labour. It's also only semi-permanent. Old railway sleepers make very good raised beds and are relatively inexpensive, or at least compared with bricks.

Another thing to consider is that bricks unless sealed will act like a sponge and will suck the moisture out of the soil - it'll need a lot of watering.