A raised bed is the single most useful thing you can add to a small yard. It warms up earlier in spring, drains well, and saves your back. Getting the size right matters more than the material.
Width: 120 cm maximum
You need to reach the middle from either side without stepping on the soil. Against a wall, keep it to 60 to 70 cm.
Height: 40 to 80 cm
40 cm is enough for most vegetables. 80 cm means no bending at all, but needs far more soil (around 750 litres for a 120 × 80 bed).
Filling it without buying a truckload of soil
Use the hügelkultur approach: branches and prunings at the bottom, then turned turf or leaves, then compost, then 20 to 25 cm of good topsoil mix on top. It settles over the first year, so top up in autumn.
Material
Untreated larch lasts 10 to 15 years and is local to Styria. Corten steel lasts longer and looks sharp in a modern courtyard but heats up in full sun.
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