You can work in wetter weather without getting your feet muddy or compacting the garden soil, and you can do less bending as you tend your plants and pick your vegetables. A typical raised garden consists of long beds six inches to three feet high. The beds should be no broader than you can reach, but they can extend as far as your property lines allow. The path between beds can be as narrow as 12 inches or so. To prevent mud, you can top the path with gravel or build a preserved wood walkway.
Preserved wood is an excellent material to use when building raised beds.
Because of its long life and ability to resist termites and decay, pressure-treated wood is ideal for the garden. But research conducted by extension agents and academics in Texas found no cause for alarm. Nevertheless, Pine added, gardeners who are concerned may line the wood with heavy-duty plastic. A plastic drop cloth normally used for painting might be one inexpensive source for the plastic liner. Once the walls of the raised bed have been constructed, you can fill in the beds with soil and compost.