The peaceful backyard garden of Beattie Williams in Vicksburg, Mississippi, is a master class in the use of raised beds in a home landscape.

Beattie’s garden space is a thriving retreat centered around a collection of raised beds that are as practical as they are eye-catching. As I recently walked through the garden, I admired the neatly arranged raised beds with wide, accessible pathways that made it easy to take in every detail.

One of the things I appreciate most about raised bed gardening is the level of control it offers.

You can build your own soil blend for better drainage and fertility, and weed control is simpler in the confined spaces. Since the beds are elevated, they warm up more quickly in the spring, giving plants a head start. I also love that they make garden chores a little easier on the back and knees.

Each of Beattie’s beds was filled to the brim with life. She has vegetables, flowers and herbs growing side by side in a gorgeous mix of colors and textures.

She added ornamental shrubs and flowering perennials along the perimeter to help frame the space and give it structure. It truly feels like an outdoor room full of personality and purpose.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the variety of pollinator-friendly plants that Beattie had tucked throughout the garden to keep it healthy. Yarrow stood out with its soft, feathery leaves and clusters of tiny blooms.

At the center of it all is a whimsical metal statue that Beattie cleverly repurposed as a tomato support. She turned something decorative into something useful, adding both charm and function to her space.

Beattie has a raised bed devoted to herbs, and as I brushed past this bed, I smelled the savory aroma of basil, rosemary and other herbs. Beattie often snips a few sprigs while she’s cooking, adding fresh flavor to her meals straight from the garden.

In a vegetable bed, Beattie planted bright marigolds among green pepper plants. The marigold’s bold colors and strong scent looked cheerful but also served a purpose; marigolds naturally help deter unwanted pests.

Nearby, a bed bursting with rainbow-hued Swiss chard sat beside squash plants with large, leafy growth and golden blooms. The color contrast was absolutely beautiful.

What impressed me most was how Beattie keeps the garden productive all year long. As soon as one crop is harvested, she plants another in its place. Raised beds make this kind of crop rotation easy, as the loose, rich soil allows for better root growth and a faster turnaround between plantings.

Beattie’s garden is a wonderful reminder that raised beds can be both practical and stunning. Her garden reveals the possibilities of using raised beds to grow food, flowers or a mix of both.