Landscaping · Brighton, Hove and nearby
Raised beds
We build raised planting beds and lawn terraces, usually with timber sleepers, to make more of a sloping or narrow garden or to get planting off a paved yard. Raised beds are quoted after a free, no-obligation survey.
Where raised beds help
Raised beds work well in small city gardens and courtyards in Kemptown and central Brighton, where there is little or no soil to plant into, and on chalk slopes where planting needs something to hold it.
They are often built alongside an artificial lawn, so there is still somewhere for plants, herbs or a hedge to grow.
A raised bed can also catch a change of level that is too small for a full retaining wall, tidy the edge of a patio, or give a narrow side return a useful planting strip without eating the path. In a mostly paved yard they are often the only practical place for soil, so the garden is not left as hard standing from wall to wall.
How we build them
Most of our raised beds are built from timber sleepers, matched to any sleeper edging or retaining walls already in the garden, so the new work looks like part of the same job. Height, depth and length are agreed on the survey, along with how the bed meets a lawn, a patio or a fence.
A bed that is only a planting box on a level patio is a different build from a bed that is also holding a bank. We treat the two accordingly, including how the sleepers are founded and how water will leave the bed. Sleepers are heavy, so access is part of the plan, especially where materials have to come through a house or down steps.
Drainage, soil and what you plant
Raised beds need to drain. On a patio or a basement yard we look at what is underneath and where surplus water will go, so the bed does not sit wet or spill onto a doorway. On chalk, the surrounding ground often drains freely, but the soil you put in the bed is still a growing medium that can compact or waterlog if it has no outlet.
We can build the beds and, where it is part of the job, fill them, but planting choices are yours. A bed against a house wall, in deep shade, or in salt air on the front will not suit every plant. We can talk through the practical limits — depth of soil, watering, and exposure — on the survey, without pretending to be a planting designer.
Beds with a lawn, patio or fence
Raised beds are often the finishing strip around a new lawn or patio: a place for a hedge along a new fence, herbs by the back door, or planting that softens a sleeper terrace. Doing them on the same job means the top of the bed, the lawn edge and any gravel or paving can be set to one level, and we do not have to come back later and cut into finished work.
In a narrow terrace, the width of the bed matters as much as the look. We will measure how much path or sitting space you want to keep, rather than building a bed that is handsome on paper and tight to live with.
Price and guarantee
Size, height, access and whether the bed is also holding ground all change the price, so raised beds are quoted after a free, no-obligation survey. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed. If you are also thinking about a new lawn, artificial grass is typically £55–£65 per m² installed, as a guide.
Price
Raised beds work is quoted after a free, no-obligation survey, because size, ground, access and materials all change the figure. There is no minimum charge and all works are guaranteed. If you are also thinking about a new lawn, artificial grass is typically £55–£65 per m² installed, as a guide.
Where we do this
We are based in Brighton and cover the city and the surrounding towns and villages. Raised beds comes up often in Kemptown, Brighton, Hove, Lewes, Ovingdean. Each area page has notes on local gardens, ground and access.
- Brighton
- Hove
- Saltdean
- Rottingdean
- Peacehaven
- Telscombe
- Woodingdean
- Ovingdean
- Kemptown
- Portslade
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Lewes
Often done alongside
Common questions
What are your raised beds made from?
Usually timber sleepers, matched to any sleeper edging or retaining walls in the garden. The detail is agreed at the survey.
Can you build raised beds on a patio or yard?
Often, yes. We look at drainage and what is underneath on the survey.
How much do raised beds cost?
They are quoted after a free survey, because size, height and access affect the price. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed.
Do you supply the soil and do the planting?
We can build the beds and, where it is part of the quoted job, fill them. Planting is usually down to you. We can talk through practical limits such as soil depth, shade and exposure on the survey.
Can raised beds go in with a new artificial lawn?
Yes. That is a common way to keep planting in a garden that is otherwise down to grass and paving, and it lets us set the levels together.
How do I book a survey?
Call or WhatsApp 07826 525732, email ruffellsgrass@gmail.com, or use the free survey form. We work Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm. Surveys are free and there is no obligation.
Free, no-obligation
Book a free survey
Adam will come and look at the garden, talk it through and confirm a price. As a guide, artificial grass typically costs £55–£65 per m² installed; other work is quoted at the survey. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed.
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