Making quick garden updates using our modular system is really straightforward, from ensuring you get exactly what you need, to placing your order and even building the structure.

As these updates tend to be very specific to you and your garden we suggest using our free design service and let our experienced designers work out exactly what you need and to help you decide on the best solution. All we need is a few measurements and an idea of what you’re trying to achieve.

Take a look at what some of the quick garden updates using WoodBlocX that some of our customers have done.

Garden walls

WoodBlocX not only makes an attractive facia for walls it is also brilliant at retaining. The combination of our durable pressure treated wood and strong dowels means that they will safely retain earth without the worry of the structure cracking or warping. Plus you don’t need to dig any foundations. Add return sections or steps for a truly integrated design.

Click here to find out more about WoodBlocX retaining walls.

Edging

Our edging is particularly popular for driveways and just a couple of layers of BlocX can make a BIG difference. Use them to separate the driveway from the rest of the garden, line a garden path or get really creative and continue your edging to create a planting area, the design possibilities are endless. Our kerbing is also popular for garden borders, keeping the level of planting low and just adding a little bit of structure and neatness to the garden.

To find out more about WoodBlocX edging, borders and kerning click here.

Unused corners

Shady corners can be a problem, especially if the ground is boggy, raise the level of the planting using one of our corner designs and add fresh soil and shade loving plants for a total transformation. For sunny corners use the space to grow bright blooms, a few edibles or herbs. Our corner raised beds can be any size you like and you can switch things up by adding different sections and planting heights.

For corner and L-shaped raised beds click here.

Long lasting planters

Terracotta planters can be damaged by frost if left exposed over winter and the less said about plastic planters the better! Our customers are using our system for permanent wooden planters on patios for a maintenance free, long lasting alternative to your average planter, choose from a range of widths and heights to suit your space. Our structures can be built directly on most surfaces including patios and concrete and we always recommend using a liner.

Enter your sizes to get an instant price for a bespoke planter.

We ran a Q&A session over on our social media pages during National Gardening Week 2020 covering anything to do with our products and services. We've compiled them all below.

Do your products work on uneven surfaces?

We recommend levelling bumps and lumps out before you build. If you have a sloping garden our system is ideal. Use our free design service for this to ensure you get exactly what you need for your garden.

Can you paint them?

Yes! We don't offer the structures pre-painted as there would be too many choices, plus you can test out which shade works best for your garden once you have built your structure.

Do you deliver to Ireland?

Yes, we have a website for our Irish customers - woodblocx.ie

Why do your ponds only go up to a certain height - 0.65m?

This is the maximum height we recommend due to water pressure.

How easy is it to get a customer planter / raised beds / pond priced?

Very easy! We have easy to use calculator tools for rectangular, square and octagonal raised beds here, L-shaped raised beds here, retaining garden walls here and ponds here. Or you can use our free bespoke design service to find out more click here.

What are your products made from?

We use pressure treated Scots pine which is pre-drilled so the treatment generates almost 100% of the wood and our dowels are made from recycled plastic. Kits also include angle plates and ground spikes can be added (if needed for grass/soil builds).

How long does WoodBlocX last?

WoodBlocX raised beds, walls, ponds, seats and steps will last up to 15 years if installed to our guidelines, but we expect them to last longer.

Why are your retaining walls limited to 1.05m?

We recommend building WoodBlocX retaining walls no higher than 1.05m due to the amount of material that it will retain. Some customers have opted for terracing to increase the height to work with their gardens. Our free design service is ideal for ensuring you something that works perfectly with your space.

Is it best to build your structures on soil or concrete?

WoodBlocX structures can be built on any surface - soil, grass, paving, concrete, decking or tarmac.

Can I jet wash my raised bed?

Yes! Our structures are maintenance free but, like anything that's outside permanently, they will need a brush...or a jet wash from time to time.

Do I need to use a liner?

We recommend lining all of our structures, especially if you are planning on adding manure or organic fertilisers.

Building raised beds and other garden structures using our modular system is easy, planting an edible garden is fairly straight forward too, but ornamental planting can be a little bit trickier, how many plants do you need to fill the space? Where should you position them? Will they grow too big? What will provide colour and when?

We gave stylist Pandora Maxton (Instagram @pandora.maxton) an octagonal raised bed to work her magic on, find out below how she got on with building and planting herWoodBlocX raised bed.

Pandora says: I was asked recently by WoodBlocX if I would like to work with them and build one of their raised beds. I had a little area in the garden that just wasn’t working and I knew straight away that this would be the perfect spot. I was given the choice of various shaped beds but opted for an octagonal one. The garden planter is ideal for making raised flower, shrub or vegetable beds.

Building the bed was like playing with giant wooden Lego bricks. The blocks arrived stacked on a pallet all wrapped and all I needed was a wooden mallet hammer, no other tools needed. Raised beds are often associated with heavy pieces of timber like railway sleepers with lots of sawing and drilling but here there was none of that.

Filling the raised bed

Over the years we have created our own compost. Lots of grass cuttings and general green wasted down. We managed to fill the entire bed with our own compost. It took a few hours but this was a family affair due to lock-down so I was more than happy to delegate the filling to my kids. After an hour or so we were ready to get planting.

The plant list

I decided to go for a little colour theme in my new raised bed. I opted for lovely deep purples, bluey greens and mauves.

Lavender

For it's structure and lovely purple flowers

Sage

Deep bluey green tones and lovely shaped leaves

Blue Fescue 

Amazing blue colours and form

Fritillaria

Gorgeous deep pruple delicate flower

Cordyline (purple & green) 

Good all year round plant

I planned to use Palm (Trachycarpus hardy) as seen on the pallet but ran out of space so it is now sitting pretty on my patio but thought I would share as these would have really worked well too. Good all year round structure and greenery.

When planting, a good tip is to plant in groups of three or five. I used the large purple Cordyline for the centre piece, then divided the rest of the plants into three around the middle. Three green Coryline and so on so all the plants were divided around the bed evenly. I chose to spend a little more money and buy bigger plants because I am so impatient but you can buy all these plants smaller to make it cheaper. The beauty of these plants is that they will look lovely all year round. The planting took around an hour or so and looks really lovely. In a few months time the lavender will bloom and the other plants will grow and bush out.

Before

After

We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions from the last three months, with everything from pest control to watering. If you have a specific question feel free to get in touch via email - [email protected] or phone 0800 389 1420.

How do I create an accessible garden?

Raising the height of your garden beds and borders makes gardening instantly more accessible, but you also need to consider the layout of the rest of the garden. Paths and steps can prove troublesome, opt for wider paths if possible, especially between raised beds if you have more than one. Our wooden raised beds can be built at heights between 0.25m - 1.05m and each structure is strong and sturdy enough to sit or lean on.

Read our accessible gardening blog here.

Can I build raised beds on a slope?

Yes! Raised beds can be used to landscape a sloping garden by stepping the structures to follow the incline, this is where our free design service is priceless, we will do all the calculations and design specifications for you, simply tell us a little bit about the space you have, the size of the structures you would like and send a couple of photos so we can build a picture up of the space and we will work out exactly what is needed to landscape your hilly garden.

Click here to find out more about our Free Design Service.

How do I keep pests out of my raised bed?

If you have problems with rabbits we recommend building your raised bed at 0.35m and above to prevent them getting to your prized plants and veggies. Crop protectors can provide some cover, especially from cats, insects can be a little more difficult to control but there are friendly ways to keep them out; adding a bug hotel nearby will help encourage beneficial insects into the garden who can feast on pests such as greenfly and black fly and if you add a bird feeder they will repay you by picking out insects too, bit make sure you add a deterrent to keep them away from seedlings and strawberries!

Use our raised bed calculator to input your own sizes and get an instant price.

How much soil do I need to add to my raised bed?

If you are filling your raised bed completely then a simple way to work out how many litres is length(m) x width(m) x height(cm), but if you are adding a drainage layer to the bottom, subtract the height of the layer from the equation so you don’t over order. We advise customers to use a good topsoil mix and add a soil improver or compost mix to the top layers.

For 10 reasons why WoodBlocX raised beds are great for your garden click here.

How often should I water my raised bed?

This totally depends on there time of year but during warmer weather water twice a day, early morning and in the evening to prevent the sun scorching the plants. Solar or electric watering systems are a really good option if you struggle to lug watering cans around the garden. Raised beds also warm up quicker in the spring and cool down slower when the weather turns cold, which is brilliant for growing in general.

How do I improve the health of the soil in my raised bed?

Raised beds are a great solution for gardens with poor soil as you can select the type you use. We advise customers to use a good topsoil mix and add a soil improver or compost mix to the top layers. Sandy soil is the best all-rounder. Using a bought-in topsoil rather than using up any surplus from the garden gives you much more control over weeds. Soils can be made richer through using your own homemade compost or manure, adding mycorrhizal fungi when planting is also a great way to boost soil and plant health in the long-term.

How do I improve the drainage of my raised bed?

Raised beds can be accessed without having to walk on them, this prevents soil compaction, which also improves drainage, helping plant roots to grow more freely and take on more nutrients. WoodBlocX raised beds of all sizes allow for drainage through the air gaps between each block, customers building our raised beds directly on patios, tarmac and concrete could benefit from a drainage layer at the bottom if the bed - stones or gravel can be used for this. 

Can I build a raised bed on a roof or balcony?

Yes! WoodBlocX is perfectly suited to balconies and roof gardens thanks to the small light weight blocks which can be easily moved around, whereas lengths of timber and heavy railway sleepers can be difficult to get up stairways and into lifts. Our raised beds and planters can be made to fit tight or narrow spaces and will instantly add character to your outdoor space.

Find out about our free design service here.

What weedkillers or fertilisers can I use when growing plants in a raised bed?

This is entirely up to the individual, we recommend using products that are kinder on the soil and environment, check for products that are clearly labelled natural, biological or have the stamp of approval from organic growing organisations such as the Soil Association or Organic Farmers & Growers Association. For weeds you can remove by hand or, if you're keen to use the no dig method, and have a space that you're starting from scratch with you can cover it with a sheet to stop the light getting in and then remove the weeds once they have perished.

To find out more about our wide range of raised beds and the different shapes and sizes available click here.

We’re best-known for our rectangular raised beds, they're functional, attractive, durable, long lasting and easy to build.

The modular nature of our timber raised bed system means that switching up to circular, hexagonal or octagonal raised beds is really easy…this is not something that can be done easily with railway sleepers or wooden boards.

WoodBlocX raised beds are perfect for growing edibles, ornamentals and trees, and thanks to our water-based pressure treatment, they are suitable for organic growing and will last 15 years or more.

Rectangular raised beds

Raised beds date back to medieval times and rectangle and square shape have been a firm favourite of gardeners and growers ever since. You can find a huge selection of sizes and heights from narrow raised beds of varying lengths to wide planters in our pre-designed kits. We’ve also mixed it up to include raised beds with different height compartments too which you can also see here.

We offer a free design service to all customers, so if you have something specific in mind or can't find exactly what you need on the website, we can help.

Circles

Circular and curved raised beds, planters and edges are created using our standard WoodBlocX timber components cut at 7.5 degree angles. Circular raised beds make the perfect centrepiece for the garden and are ideal for a statement tree planted in the centre.

Use our raised bed calculator tool to get an instant price for a circular raised bed using your own measurements.

Curves

Using the same angled blocks as our circular raised beds you can use our timber system to add curves to the garden. If you haven’t got room for a centrepeice but still want to add a curve opt for a half circle-shaped raised bed with a straight edge that buts up to a wall. There's loads of ideas for angled raised beds here.

Did you know you that you can use WoodBlocX to build retaining walls that are either, straight, curved or angled? Click here to find out more.

Angles

Lots of unusual shapes can be built using obtuse and acute 45 degree angle components which means we can also provide corner raised beds in various shapes including diamond, hexagonal, curves, octagonal and heart shaped raised beds. We can even add layers to these designs for anyone that wants to incorporate different levels of planting.

Our raised beds can be adapted to create larger continuous structures for the garden that can include all or a combination of retaining walls, steps and seating.

L-shapes

L-shaped raised beds are a great solution for untidy and uninspiring conrers of the garden but they needn’t be limited to just corners, L-shaped structures can add a creative touch in a freestanding area either individually or as part of an interesting layout of WoodBlocX raised beds.

All of our structures can be used for organic growing thanks to our water-based treatment.

Stepped

Stepped raised beds can be used for both flat and sloped gardens. Use them to add height and interest to a patio area, or to add different sections for planting or use them to landscape a sloping garden.

Lots of our customers opt to add steps to run alongside the raised beds that are used to landscape the garden to tie everything together.

Bespoke raised beds

The design flexibility that the WoodBlocX raised bed system offers means that we can create 1000s of different design combinations. We offer a free bespoke design service to all customers so you can get exactly what you need for your garden.

Use our super quick calculator tool on the website, select the shape and use the drop down menus to select the length, width and height to suit you.

There are so many benefits to adding raised beds to your garden and our modular system makes it really simple to install them, cutting out labour costs and providing you with a planting solution that is practical, durable and attractive.

Our timber raised beds are made up of series of wooden blocks that are pressure treated which makes them super strong, the blocks are held together by strong dowels and this combination ensures your structure will not crack or warp.

The versatility of our system means the design possibilities are almost limitless, our team of skilled designers work closely with customers on a daily basis to ensure they get the best solution for their gardens, whether it’s a singular raised bed, multiple raised beds or a completely bespoke garden design.

We asked our designers Lachlan, Calum and Harry to provide some helpful tips to consider when planning a raised bed garden.

What is the best position for a raised bed?

Lachlan says: Look for an area of your garden that gets the most sun. Ideally, the location for your raised-bed garden receives at least eight hours of sun (you can provide shade if it needs it, but you can’t add sun). Other considerations are level ground, good drainage, and access to water.

If you want to maximise growing space for edibles, plants or flowers, think about the paths that are existing or that you're planning to use. Could you create a different path layout and add additional raised beds?

For 10 reasons why raised beds are great for the garden click here.

What is the best size for a raised bed?

Calum says: The length of a raised bed doesn’t matter just keep in mind you will need to walk around it to get to the other side.

Ideally, the depth of the bed is from 350-650mm deep. Almost all crops can be grown in this depth of raised bed. We wouldn't advise making any single height bed more than 2.5m across otherwise you'll have issues tending to the centre of it. Consider creating a higher section within which will allow you to lean over and gain better access.

Use our raised bed calculator tool and add your preferred to sizes and you can see what benefits the height offers.

How to maximise space in the garden using raised beds

Harry says: If you're limited for space, consider how you might blend the use of a single area. For instance, if you'd like to include seating consider integrating it into the wall of the raised bed instead. If you've got a sloping area and need to retain or landscape it, use one of our raised beds as a retaining wall.

You can browse our popular pre-designed raised bed kits by heading here or use our free design service. 

If you need advice, guidance or have any questions about using raised beds in your garden contact us directly via phone: 0800 389 1420, email [email protected] or click on the live chat box over on the left of the page. We offer all customers a free design service to ensure everyone gets exactly what they need for their garden.

We asked Annabelle Padwick, the founder of Life at No.27 to share her expert advice on how gardening is a powerful therapy for positive wellbeing. Annabelle is a professional gardener, wellbeing therapist, gardening writer, public speaker and potato growing addict. Her therapeutic and educational programmes for children and adults, are proven to build confidence, teach new skills, help you make new friends and ultimately, have fun….

Gardening has incredible powers; it’s healing, comforting, joyful, exciting and totally absorbing. Getting out in the garden builds your confidence, gives you time for yourself, keeps you active, feels good between your toes and makes you both physically and mentally healthier.

It is also hard work at times and doesn’t always go to plan, just like life. I will always praise how gardening can help improve your life, as it totally changed mine. But I also recognise it isn’t always bright sunflowers, perfect roses and juicy tomatoes. This is exactly why I teach gardening to children and adults, alongside wellbeing discussions and games. Growing your own food safely teaches resilience; if a seed doesn’t germinate or a plant dies, you can try work out why and just try again. Sowing little seeds teach the power of self-care, love and nurture; give a seedling or yourself the right amount of water, food, sunlight, shade and love, then see what happens. You thrive! Plants and humans are very similar, some might just say that we have more complicated emotions. But, through experience with some of my plants, I think I find them very complicated too.

Here is just a few of my tips on how gardening can benefit you:

Time out

Grow confidence

Get active

Meet new people

Eat healthier

I love running outside to the containers and raised beds full of vegetables, immediately snacking on the nearest bean or tomato… yummy! Growing and storing your own produce keeps the winter stews coming too. The odd takeaway treat or junk cupboard dash will always stay I’m sure, but learning to grow your own food makes delicious goodness easier to grab, cook and eat!

If Annbelle's tips have given you the urge to grow something, start gardening or just make the most of your own garden then check out some of our other helpful blogs or head to the main website to find out more about about beautiful and easy to build raised beds.

To find out more about the work Annabelle does as part of the Life at No.27 social enterprise click  the logo below.

WoodBlocX garden designs

Top considerations before making changes to the garden

• Note down the areas that get sunlight at certain times of the day, this is important if you want to include a seating area of if you plan on growing certain types of sun nor shade loving plants or you plan to grow edibles
• Are you overlooked by other properties and do you have any views you would like to maximise?
• Think about what you would like to grow and how much you are able to realistically manage
• What elements you would like to include; grass/lawns, seating, walls, beds and borders, water features, paths, patios, steps etc?
• Do you want to encourage wildlife into the garden?
• What style do you want to achieve? Modern, rustic etc

Once you have an idea of what you want to include within the space head to our garden design service page and fill in our super quick feedback form, which has been designed to take minimal time to complete (five minutes maximum) and we will do the rest, all of the information provided will help us to build a bigger picture of your project and we can begin creating a design that is totally bespoke to your garden.

Recent bespoke designs

• Free design service
• Easy build with lightweight pieces and step by step instructions
• Strong and durable - the blocks are locked together using strong dowels
• Build on any surface
• Pressure treated wood that will not leach nasty chemicals into the soil
• Long-lasting and durable - structures will not crack or warp
• Unlimited design potential thanks to the modular blocks
• Superior quality to railway sleepers and wooden boards

If you have a project in mind or you’re just not sure of exactly what you need for your garden click her to start using our free design service 

We asked expert gardener, gardening writer and multiple WoodBlocX raised bed owner Rob Smith from Rob’s Allotment to share his top tips for planning your 2020 garden and he has not disappointed. If you want to get ahead for the coming year read on…

It may sound crazy, but winter is the best time to start planning your garden.  Not only do you not have the distraction of tending to your plants, but you can see the bones of the garden including all the shapes, divots, jumps and bumps. This makes it easier to decide what you want where, especially if you are going to build any structures or raised beds.  By preparing beds, paths and fences in winter you will benefit 10 fold in the spring as you’ll be ready to concentrate on sowing and growing, rather than a mad rush to prepare before you can even get a seed in the ground.

Quick tips for planning ahead

• write a list of everything you want to grow
• either label on paper or actually label each bed so you know what’s going to go where
• add manure or organic matter to all your beds, this will allow it to break down and be ready for your plants to feed from next year (just remember not to do this for carrots and parsnips as they will warp and fork, that’s why you plan for each bed is handy)
• start ordering seeds now as it’s the perfect time to sit with your favourite tipple, warm in the house while flicking through seed catalogues
• try and fill new raised beds with organic matter now, as the soil level will sink as the soil settles. By filling them now you will be able to top them up in the spring before you sow your first seed, meaning the bed will be nice and full rather than only half full after it’s sunk!
• there’s still time to plan and plant your fruit garden with bare root trees/bushes. These can be planted until they begin to show signs of life in spring, so why not add a blueberry to a raised bed, after all you can make sure it’s growing in the ericaceous soil it lives in a raised bed, while in the open ground they don’t always grow as well.
• it’s also a good idea to buy strawberry runners now, planting them straight away in preparation for picking in June.
• maintain fences, paths and sheds, painting and repairing where needed

Plan ahead with our free design service

Our free design service makes planning your garden even easier, simply send our team your measurements and ideas and we will create a design that fits your space perfectly, whether you have a sloped garden, an unused corner or you want to integrate seating, walls, steps and ponds.

Each WoodBlocX kit is self-assembly and includes wooden blocks of varying sizes, pre-drilled with holes, to add a series of strong dowels. Simply build the structure up layer-by-layer by referring to the step-by-step instructions for where the dowels need to be placed.

Plan ahead

Building your structure

When you receive your WoodBlocX raised bed kit you will also receive a set of instructions that are bespoke to the design that you choose, simply follow the steps and you will have built your raised bed in no time at all.

If you need any extra help we have read a series of short how-to videos that are designed to answer all possible questions with a visual answer, and as always, if you need to speak to a human being, give us call on 0800 389 1420.

What can I sow in my WoodBlocX raised bed now?

February is the month to get started and there is plenty of veg that you can sow directly into the soil including garlic, shallots, board beans, carrot, parsnips, peas, spinach - loose soil is ideal for these crops so fresh bought-in soil used to fill the bed will work perfectly.

To get an instant price for a raised bed for your garden click here or if you would like something a little bit different and need to discuss your ideas with one of our designers click here to use our free design service.