How to build an attractive and functional raised garden ???

We currently have a regular vegatable garden with dimensions of 23' x 17'. To make it more attractive, I want to raise it and put a small fence around it. I've looked at railroad ties, treated 4x4's, and other products at the local lumber yard. I also want to put a brick paver border around it . . . maybe ??? Just looking for good ideas to make it attractive and functional at the same time. Please help a beginner gardener.

How to build an attractive and functional raised garden ???
Raised gardens are great - I have three of them - but if you raise your garden you're going to have to fill it with soil. With a 23' x 17' garden you're talking more than 10 yards of dirt!!. That's a lot of work!! But if your minds made up...some people will tell you that treated lumber leaches chemicals into the soil. True. But so does a lot of other things in smaller quantities than PT wood ever will. If you use treated wood, you can place a visqueen barrier between the wood and the soil, but I wouldn't bother with it. I use PT 2' x 12"'s held together in the corners by PT 4" x 4"'s 12" long and fixed with 4" deck screws. Don't use redwood or cedar because of the expense and you'd still need to treat it with something. Given the amount of work and expense you're talking about, you might consider building several smaller raised beds with paths between them.
Reply:Try the raised bed kit at lee valley tools. I put it in my garden and love it. Not cheap but looks nice and will last a long time. You can also match the sides to the color of your brick path if you want.



http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.asp...
Reply:My wife likes to make raised beds with her troy bilt tiller.First she tills the garden spot.After that she tills in the fertilize



The tiller has a Hillier/ furrower attachment that goes behind .

She makes furrows about 2 to 21/2 ft apart for the aisles.

The raised beds are in between the furrows.



Then she rakes the tops of the raised beds smooth. On the top of the raised bed she makes 2 single rows and plants the seed. And water it.



She has thought about pouring cement in the aisles AND then all that needs tilling each year would be the raised beds.



I hope this helps some.
Reply:This is what you do. Go spend about $2500 on some nice landscaping brick pavers, possibly ones to match your fire pit. Then buy some fill dirt raise it to the level, of the 25 level brick paver wall you built, then plant your garden, you will love the way it looks I guarantee it!! You could plant some brussell sprouts, maybe even some MAGIC mushrooms, to chomp on while you sit on your $5 chairs around the fire!! Then maybe a friend can come over and light off a Ti-Salute firework and wake up the neighborhood...GOOD LUCK BG
Reply:The products that you looked at are all good, but when using railroad ties which are soaked in creosote, or treated lumber which is treated with arsenic, you will want to put some sort of liner between the dirt and the wall to keep it out of your veggies. Cedar or redwood posts are a good choice because of their natural resistance to rot, or pavers are a great way to go was well. You can also think about using some of the composite decking material they sell like trex or similar. It costs a little more but will last a very long time. Raised beds are also a great place for a drip watering system. It cuts down on work and on the water that you use. Hope this helps.