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Much of gardening is about capturing ethereal moments. From a dragonfly landing on a fence post to the zinnias looking spectacular next to the petunias, most of what we enjoy is fleeting. But when it comes to actual hardscaping, such as paths and garden borders, you want something that will stand the test of time, and adding structures like these provides the stability your garden needs for balance. If you're looking for creative ways to make concrete planter boxes without regular blocks, we found the perfect solution that uses garden panel forms designed by Kent Gravelle of MAN about TOOLS.
Gravelle started tinkering with concrete years ago, creating molds for garden bed panels. Eight years ago, he shared the progress of his backyard build on Reddit, and the audience was enthusiastic. After years of being asked, he finally developed the molds into a product that any homeowner can use to create interlocking concrete garden bed panels that pin together with pieces of rebar.
You've probably seen people use concrete blocks to build raised garden beds. They're great because they give you all the advantages of raised beds combined with the durability of concrete. The problem is, they look like concrete blocks and you might not find them to be all that aesthetically pleasing. The rounded corners of Gravelle's newly designed garden panels offer a better flow, and since the form is reusable, it can help lower your overall costs when you need to make several garden beds.
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How to use concrete garden panel forms
To make garden bed panels using the MAN about TOOLS forms, start by prepping a build area. After they're poured, the panels need to be undisturbed for about 3 days. Then, once the forms are stripped, the panels need to cure for another few weeks before they're strong enough to be used. Start with a level workspace, since wet concrete is a slurry that flows and settles. The ideal temperature is 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so if it's cold out, consider working in your garage or someplace you can heat. Don't forget your safety gear, and before you pour, the mold requires release agents and plastic pipes inserted for the rebar-pin holes.
The best mix for garden bed panels is a high-strength pre-mix, with about a cup of Portland cement added for extra strength. You can also prepare your own concrete mix using the 4-2-1 rule, but many people find it just as easy to use products like SAKRETE 5000 Plus 80 lb. Concrete Mix, available from Home Depot. Add water slowly when you're mixing because you can go from too-dry to too-wet really fast. When you fill the form, pour the area around the rebar pin holes first and make sure there aren't any voids. As you fill, insert steel mesh into the center of the concrete for reinforcement. When the form is full, level it off, and cover it with plastic sheeting so it can cure without cracking.
Discover more creative ideas for a concrete garden panel aesthetic
Gravelle's panels assemble into beds from 2-by-2-feet up to 3-by-3-feet. Using a transition panel, the rounded end panels can link to the originals for longer runs. Alternatively, if you want to use these for a straight garden border, you don't have to form square corners where they interlock. Whether you're working on a tight budget, want a custom design, or just like to tinker, there's also no reason you can't make your own forms using the same design ideas, similar to his original plywood prototype. That way, you can adjust the height and length to match your needs.
Concrete projects like this offer a lot of room for creativity. If you want your backyard to look like an oasis, then this landscaping style can turn cast garden bed panels into one of the foundational pieces of your whole backyard aesthetic. Using a variety of concrete molds, you can create everything from fence details to milk jug stepping stones and lawn edging that matches your garden bed panels.
To tie everything together, use matching materials. Experiment with concrete dyes and stains, or include sculpted cement details with a boot tray or other textured DIY mold. You can play around with different types of concrete mixes, such as hypertufa. It doesn't have quite the same durability as traditional concrete, but it ages beautifully because it gets mossy in shady areas. Make hypertufa castings at least 3 inches thick for smaller containers unless you reinforce your mix with glass fibers.
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