Sloped garden: terraces from raised garden beds
The easiest way to handle a slope is to split it into level steps. Each step can be a Brick Premium raised garden bed 11¾ in to 21¼ in high — from the height drop and slope length you work out how many steps you need and how deep they'll be.
- 4¾ in
- height of one layer of parts
- 11¾–21¼ in
- height of a step made from a bed
- 2⅜ in
- solid larch, no chemicals
Updated 10/21/2026
Three ways to shore up a slope
Each one holds the soil differently. For a garden by the house, terraces you can plant straight into are often enough.
| Solution | Made from | How it's built | When it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terraces from raised garden beds | larch parts 2⅜ in, joined with snap-in connectors | layer by layer, no screws or drilling, step = bed | a gentle slope by the house, vegetables, herbs and flowers |
| Palisade posts | wooden or concrete posts | set vertically into the ground, often in concrete | edging a path or bed, a small height difference |
| Gabions | wire cages filled with stone | the cages are set on a prepared base and filled with stone | a bigger height drop and access for machinery |
A retaining wall holding back a slope above a house, road or footpath needs a structural engineer. The calculator on this page works out steps made from beds, not the wall's structural design.
How many steps you need
Number of steps = height drop ÷ step height, rounded up. Step depth = horizontal slope length ÷ number of steps. Step height is the bed height: each layer of parts adds 4¾ in.
| Height drop | Steps of 11¾ in | Steps of 16½ in | Steps of 21¼ in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23½ in | 2 × 9.8 ft | 2 × 9.8 ft | 2 × 9.8 ft |
| 35½ in | 3 × 6.6 ft | 3 × 6.6 ft | 2 × 9.8 ft |
| 47¼ in | 4 × 4.9 ft | 3 × 6.6 ft | 3 × 6.6 ft |
| 59 in | 5 × 3.9 ft | 4 × 4.9 ft | 3 × 6.6 ft |
What one step costs
The simplest cascade is a row of separate beds, each one step lower. One step as a 94½ × 35½ in bed with a height of 16½ in costs . Studio works out the whole cascade with stairs at every change.
Bed price including VAT, excluding shipping, measured in Studio 10/6/2026. Valid for the delivery country: Germany – you can change it in the page footer.
Stairs between steps
You build garden stairs from the same parts, so the steps, stairs and wall share one material and one wood color.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build a raised garden bed straight onto a slope?
A bed needs a level base. Under each step you'll level the slope: take soil from the top and use it to fill the beds.
How tall can one step be?
The calculator works with the heights of ready-made beds 11¾ in, 16½ in and 21¼ in. In Studio you can also set a different number of layers, each one adding 4¾ in.
When do I need a structural engineer?
When a wall holds back a slope above a house, road or footpath, or when the slope is high and steep. Terraces made from beds in a typical garden are a different job to a retaining wall.
How much does a sloped garden cost?
It depends on the number and length of steps. One step as a 94½ × 35½ in bed costs . You'll see the exact price of the whole cascade in Studio.