With the popularity of raised bed gardening growing faster than weeds in a newly tilled patch so too is the growing array of materials available to build them. And, gabion raised garden beds is the latest material/method I've come across that has now entered the market as an alternative to the old wooden style sleeper raised bed.
Gabion raised garden beds are essentially a galvanised steel mesh frame designed to hold rubble rock (small to medium sized blue rock) to form a large container able to hold a growing medium for plants.
This idea of using the gabion method for raised garden beds obviously was born out of the trendy modern use of rocks piled into a mesh framework to make borders, retaining walls, feature items, and even fences around the home. Personally, I do see the aesthetics in using these materials – it's artistic, different, cost effective, and in some cases a more logical way to build than other traditional materials.
It's much easier to move small rocks plus a flat packed galvanised mesh into place and build a wall or structure than it is to bring in large boulders, pour concrete, or make it out of bricks. Many smaller rocks thrown into a metal frame can create a strong, heavy landscaping solution to meet the needs of most people for their property.
Making a gabion raised garden bed is a fast, cheap, and easy way to create a vegetable garden. This Galvanised Steel Gabion Garden Planter 180x90x100cm is the perfect size in my opinion for a raised bed because at just under a metre high (which is around average waist height) and 1 metre wide so the centre of the bed can be easily reached it could be used to grow practically any food crop or even ornamentals for that matter.
To be honest, I do have raised beds that are lower at around the one or two feet mark and I prefer the higher raised beds more. One day, I will convert all our lower raised beds to around 100cm high or thereabouts – particularly as I get older it will make for less bending and with a dodgy back already this can only be a smart thing to do!
At the moment though, I'm quite content to stay with the amount and type of garden beds we currently have, however, when I do decide to upgrade or add more raised beds to our vegetable garden I will definitely consider a gabion.
More options for Gabion Raised Garden Beds are here on eBay AU – unfortunately for our international readers there doesn't seem to be many similar types in the USA or UK market at this present time.
When compared to other raised beds of similar size, the gabion types are competitively priced even when the cost of filling them with stones is factored into the equation. I have to say I do like them!
