Brad Mee

Everywhere we look this season, it seems gardening is being elevated—literally. Raised garden beds are sprouting up in backyards, patios, parking strips and community spaces, transforming ordinary plots into thriving, organized green spaces. And there’s no better time than summer to get growing. Whether you’re harvesting crisp vegetables, tending colorful blooms or trying your hand at both, raised beds offer a beautiful and practical way to garden at full tilt

To help explain why this elevated approach is more than just a trend, USU extension professor Katie Wagner—alongside projects from talented landscape pros—shares ten compelling reasons raised beds belong in your garden plan. From easier planting and longer seasons to fewer weeds and fuller harvests, these benefits make raised beds a summer-smart upgrade you’ll enjoy all year long.

1. Better Soil, Better Plants

With raised beds, you control the soil mix, ensuring optimal nutrients and texture—especially beneficial for gardeners working with poor native soil, heavy clay or sandy conditions. “We typically recommend a mix of native garden soil and a soilless potting mix,” Wagner says, emphasizing high-quality organic matter made for raised beds. This balanced mix promotes healthier plants, better root growth and fewer nutrient deficiencies. However, she adds, raised beds are not the most water-efficient option. “They require more water since they drain and dry out quickly, unlike in-ground gardens. Adding native soil, mulch and organic matter can help improve water retention and soil health,” she says.

2. Improved Drainage

Unlike traditional garden plots, raised beds prevent water from pooling, reducing the risk of root rot. This improved drainage is especially beneficial in regions with heavy rainfall or compacted soil, allowing plants to thrive in a well-aerated environment. “However, depending on how tall the raised beds are, the roots systems of some plants will reach into the native soil beneath,” Wagner says. 

3. Less Weeding, Less Hassle

Raised beds’ defined borders help suppress weeds, keeping your garden tidier with less effort. Adding mulch or landscape fabric beneath the soil further reduces unwanted growth. “Control weeds in the surrounding pathways and you’ll reduce the weed pressure around the raised beds,”  Wagner adds. 

4. Easier on the Back & Knees

Taller bed designs eliminate the need for stooping, benefiting those with mobility issues, back pain or knee pain. Some even feature sitting lips for added ease. “If the material doesn’t support natural seating, like steel, we look for ways to incorporate seating, such as a cantilevered wood bench,” says  Landform Design Group’s Jayson King. “With wood or masonry, seating can naturally occur with the right height.” Wagner agrees, noting that while ideal height varies by user, a 3-foot width offers ample room for growth and easy access to the bed’s center from either side.

5. Extended Growing Season

Raised beds offer a longer growing season thanks to faster spring warm-up and better fall drainage. You can plant earlier, harvest later and make the most of your space year-round. Plus, they’re perfect for low tunnel covers, allowing use of plastic in spring to retain heat, then swapping to 30% shade cloth in Utah’s hot summer months, Wagner explains. Raised beds also support vertical trellising, which improves airflow, saves space and makes harvesting climbing crops easier.

6. Pest & Critter Control

Raising your garden beds helps deter pests like rabbits and ground insects, especially when paired with barriers like hardware cloth or row covers. “Produce in contact with the ground is much more vulnerable,” says Wagner. “Better air circulation also means less disease pressure.” To prevent pest and disease buildup, she also suggests rotating crops each year—especially within the same plant families, which tend to share vulnerabilities to pests and diseases.

7. Maximizing Small Spaces

Raised beds are a smart solution for small yards, patios and urban gardens, offering a compact, organized way to grow more in less space. Added trellises or vertical supports can increase productivity without expanding a garden’s footprint. Wagner emphasizes the importance of placement and sun exposure. 

“Plants need enough space and light to thrive.” What’s more, raising beds above surrounding perennials can also help ensure better airflow and consistent sunlight.

8. A Stylish & Organized Garden

Raised beds’ defined edges create natural walkways and a sense of order, turning any backyard into a functional, attractive space. “In-ground gardens can look messy by comparison,” Wagner says. Material choice depends on style and budget. Rot-resistant woods like cedar or redwood are durable and visually appealing. Metal offers a sleek, modern look but can overheat and degrade over time. Plastic kits are easy to assemble and long-lasting, while cinder blocks
are sturdy but less polished. 

9. Customization & Creativity

From imaginatively used materials to multi-level layouts, raised beds offer endless room for creativity—something both top landscape designers and savvy home gardeners have embraced. Customize their shapes or heights, incorporate built-in trellises or experiment with companion planting to create a garden that’s truly your own. “The sky’s the limit,” Wagner says. “It’s all about making the most of your space.”

10. Bigger Harvests in Less Space

With deep, nutrient-rich soil and efficient spacing, raised beds are ideal for intensive planting and higher yields. Techniques like square-foot gardening or succession planting let you grow more in less space than traditional row gardens. But thoughtful planning is key, Wagner notes: “Nutrient management matters. Make sure plants get enough sunlight and aren’t crowded to the point of shading each other—that can limit productivity.”

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With its terrazzo floors, color-drenched rooms and savvy design solutions, Maggie Glendenning’s St. George midcentury modern home is an ode to ’70s cool.

Photos by Lacey Alexander

Midcentury modern homes have an undeniable swagger about them—the clean, low-slung silhouettes and the seamless indoor-outdoor flow that makes every space feel expansive. Warm walnut paneling, open living rooms and sculptural Malm fireplaces practically beg you to sit down and stay awhile. But finding one that still has its original charm? That’s another story.

Creating A Signature St. George Midcentury Modern Home

Maggie Glendenning discovered this all too well. As a self-described Zillow hound, she had scoured every St. George midcentury modern home listing hoping to find one that hadn’t been stripped of its character. “Many of today’s homes look and feel so generic,” she says. “Too vanilla.” After a long and fruitless search, she had to face the facts: her ideal midcentury home simply wasn’t on the market.

Then came a twist. With post-COVID construction booming, Glendenning and her siblings saw an opportunity—why not build? They secured a lot in the Bloomington Country Club golf course community, planning a spec home as an investment. As the owner of an event planning and interiors business—and now a newly licensed general contractor—Glendenning took the lead on the project, collaborating with architect Matt Metcalf to bring their vision to life. Her goal? To design a fresh, modern home infused with soul, a nod to the groovy ‘70s-style houses in the neighborhood.

“I love to push cool and fun ideas, so I knew one thing for sure: the rooms wouldn’t be all white,” she says with a laugh. But as the design process unfolded, something unexpected happened—she started planning every detail as if it were her own. And then, it hit her. “Wait, I want to live here,” she laughs.

Here, she shares what it took to give this new dwelling’s spaces some serious retro-cool vibe—and how she accidentally ended up with the home of her dreams.

Great Room

“The wood slatting adds warmth,” Glendenning says of the kitchen’s 15-foot-high, angled back wall of thermally treated pine that anchors the end of the great room with dimension and rich wood tones. “I couldn’t stretch the budget to do wood on all the ceilings, but I still wanted to bring that warmth and midcentury charm into the space,” says Glendenning, who created the accent as a striking, wallet-friendly solution. The wood is from Delta Millworks in Park City. 

Fireplace

Glendenning knew that a Malm fireplace was a must-have. She positioned it on the raised brick hearth, transforming it into a strikingly colorful focal point in the great room. “It started as fully copper, but the moment I turned it on, it came alive with incredible holographic colors,” she recalls. To balance the space, she selected sheer drapery panels to soften the room while complementing its midcentury-modern aesthetic. A leather-strapped chaise lounge offers a cozy spot to take in patio and golf course views, grounded by a textured rug from Beni Rugs.

Kitchen

Glendenning furnished the end of the kitchen’s “statement island” with generous shelving and serving space. “Rather than just having lots of barstools, I focused on creating an area at the island’s end for casual gathering and entertaining,” says Glendenning, who also increased the height of the island to make it more comfortable to stand around it. She rejected “bulky and heavy” upper cabinets and, instead, created a hidden pantry beside the refrigerator for storage. “This makes the space feel more open and airy.” The island is topped with striking Dolce Vita Quartz, while Caesarstone adorns the perimeter cabinets, which are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue. “The color helps break up the wood tones,” she notes, adding a refreshing balance to the open kitchen.

Powder Room

“The blue faucet was the starting point for the design,” says Glendenning, who fearlessly sheathed the walls of her “dark and moody” powder bath with cork tile and clad the floating vanity with Red Rock tile by Fireclay Tile. “I started with the sky-blue and red-rock tones from my home’s desert-inspired color palette.” To soften the room’s angular features, she incorporated an organically shaped Living Pond mirror by Ferm Living and a round Dimple sconce by RBW. 

Dining Room

The dining room highlights Glendenning’s signature midcentury-modern materials: painted brick and terrazzo tile. Repurposed from a contractor’s surplus, the brick adds texture to a great room wall and forms a bench that doubles as a fireplace hearth. The terrazzo tile—with its mix of white, butter yellow, gray and burgundy tones—was a must-have. “I always knew that I wanted terrazzo,” she says. The tile was originally intended only for the main living areas, but an overage allowed Glendenning to extend it into the bedrooms, with alternate tiles chosen for the laundry room and bathrooms. Colorful furnishings bring the space to life: a custom table from Vanguard Furniture, a vase from Blu Dot and artwork by Anya Molyviatis through Ivester Contemporary Gallery.

Primary Bathroom 

Glendenning’s love for fully tiled bathrooms shines throughout the home, where each bathroom features a single tile choice, relying on patterns and colors to create visual impact. Keeping materials consistent, she notes, avoids a sense of “decorative whiplash.” In the primary bathroom, light-toned tile complements the room’s airy feel, with a striking round tub by Signature Hardware as the centerpiece. 

Guest Baths 

In contrast, the guest suites’ bathrooms embrace bold color inspired by the desert landscape. Basil-hued cement tile from Clé brings a fresh vibrancy to one, while earthy red terracotta tile from Zia Tile defines the ‘St. George midcentury modern home’ vibe other. “Surrounded by red rock in the desert, I wanted the colors in my spaces to echo the natural tones of the environment,” Glendenning explains.

Primary Bedroom

In the primary bedroom, Glendenning embraced a daring palette with Sherwin-Williams Dark Night, creating a rich, moody atmosphere that balances the room’s towering ceilings. “The architect suggested lowering the 12- to 14-foot ceilings to 10 or 11 feet, but when we learned how much extra lumber it would cost, we decided to keep them high,” she says. “With the tall ceilings and west-facing windows, I was able to go dark. This makes the room feel more comfortable and not like a deep hole,” she explains. An RBW wall light hangs above a Blu Dot nightstand; Cozy Earth bedding dresses the bed by Ellison Studios.

Laundry

The vibrant yellow laundry room is one of Glendenning’s most playful spaces. Finding a concrete tile to match the terrazzo’s thickness was a challenge, but she discovered this Zia Tile with a graphic pattern, warm texture and colors from her palette. She chose a chic European drying rack from Northern, favoring the wall-mounted design over a ceiling-hung option. The room’s upbeat vibe is driven by Benjamin Moore’s aptly named Good Vibrations paint.

Office

Glendenning color-drenched her office in a powder blue, similar to the shade of the living room’s sofa, to create a seamless flow throughout the home. While she enjoys working in the space, she admits the walls can cast a blue shadow, making it difficult to evaluate samples. Furnishings include a Blu Dot desk, DWR lamp and chair and a Frances and Son ceiling light.   

Guest Room

“I don’t know when we became afraid of color. It adds so much life and energy to a home,”  Glendenning says. Embracing that philosophy, she bathed a guest bedroom in Sherwin-Williams’ Soft Apricot, a warm backdrop for layers of desert-inspired hues—peach, terracotta and red rock—woven through the bedding, lighting and rug. “Orange is my favorite color,” she adds. The space is grounded by an upholstered bed frame from Sixpenny and a nightstand from Crate & Barrel. 

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This story was originally published by our sister publication, Utah Style & Design magazine. Find more Southern Utah design inspiration in their St. George Area Parade of Homes Trends Roundup.

When Katherine Chandler and her husband Jeffrey Sherlock craved more elbow room for their 1911, 836-square-foot house located in the heart of Salt Lake City’s East Central neighborhood, the couple asked Renovation Design Group’s Annie Schwemmer to explore the possibilities of expanding the tiny home. “We discovered that the house was structurally unsound, and we recommended rebuilding it instead,” Schwemmer recalls. The report didn’t rattle Chandler and Sherlock.

“We were completely on board,” Chandler says. “We weren’t attached to the house, but we are super attached to the location.” Before designing the couple’s new house, Schwemmer asked them to list everything they wanted from the tiny home and to highlight the must-haves. “We had to have lots of natural light, three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms.” Additional wants included an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) and a large dining area for them to entertain. An open floor plan and simple, modern style also topped the list.

Measuring less than 4,000 square feet, the small property drove the compact size of the new three-level home’s footprint measuring a mere 1,000 square feet. “With its upper level tucked into the roofline, the new design maintains a similar size and feel to the surrounding homes,” says Schwemmer. “It also introduces a subtle modern sensibility marked by simplicity and subtraction of materials and elements so it doesn’t overwhelm. The architect teamed with contractor Zac Hicks of Bluebird Renovations to create the home with exterior siding painted in a surprising hue. “We wanted it to be blue, just like the original house,” says Chandler, who has a passion for color. 

Abundant windows, high ceilings and an uncluttered decor foster a spacious feel despite the home’s modest size. Chandler says, “We have toddlers and it is chaotic much of the time, but the simplicity and spaciousness of our home makes living here such a joy.”  

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Garden designer Emily Brooks Wayment welcomes our sister publication Utah Style & Design magazine into a few of her formal gardens and shares the insights and inspiration that ignited these swoon-worthy creations 

For more than two decades, Emily Brooks Wayment has been crafting lush landscapes for clients throughout Utah and beyond with a focus on formal, classic design. “I’m drawn to the past and enjoy infusing it into my work,” she explains. For this green-thumbed tastemaker, each project is a labor of love, bringing boundless joy and beauty to her residential and commercial properties alike. From lush estates in Holladay to intimate courtyards in Sugarhouse and mountainside retreats in Park City—and even portions of the prestigious grounds of Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City—Wayment’s touch of classic style and timeless design is evident.

Interestingly, garden design wasn’t initially Wayment’s planned career path. After studying English and Art History at the University of Utah, she worked as a floral designer for a major event-planning firm while pursuing her Master Gardener certification from Utah State University. She then resumed her academic studies abroad. While schooling in England, she was offered the opportunity to attend a landscape design program at a small college in Oxford.

Inspired by vibrant Flemish paintings, the picturesque English countryside and classic garden style, she immersed herself in the 18-month landscape design course.  This transformative experience planted the seed for the flourishing career she now enjoys. 

Surrounded by a recent project’s neatly trimmed hedges, espaliered pear trees and expanses of hydrangeas, Wayment reflects, “Formal gardens—particularly English gardens—hold a special place in my heart. I’m captivated by their simplicity, intricate details and calming symmetry.” She loves collaborating with passionate homeowners and skilled designers as she creates memorable, site-driven landscapes. And she has many on the drawing boards waiting to take root. Come take a stroll with us through a few of her charming gardens and cull some of Wayment’s formal garden design tips and techniques.  

SYMMETRY AND BALANCE

Balance and symmetry are hallmarks of formal garden design. Achieving balance involves distributing visual weight evenly throughout the space, while symmetry refers to mirroring design elements on either side of a central axis. “Symmetry and balance are calming to the eye and create a sense of harmony,” says Wayment, who uses them to enhance traditional homes and architecture.

PATTERN

“What’s not to love about the diamond pattern?” exclaims Wayment, gushing about one of her beloved design motifs. Formal gardens embrace structure with their clean lines, geometric shapes and classic patterns like diamonds, checkerboards and traditional knots. Wayment masterfully uses trimmed shrubs, clever combinations of lawn and pavers, and striking patio tiles to craft familiar patterns that truly elevate her designs.

FOCAL POINT

“One of the most important parts of any garden is where your eye lands,” says Wayment. She carefully creates focal points to draw the eye in and anchor her designs. Head-turning water features, benches, planters, specimen plants, garden structures and sculptures are among the elements that can do the trick. “They help draw visitors in and guide their movements throughout a garden.”

STRUCTURED PLANTINGS 

Nailing that polished, structured look is everything. It’s all about those crisp lines and orderly beds. Creating clean edges for garden beds is key, and Wayment often relies on clipped hedges and evergreen shrubs like trusty boxwoods to establish clear definition. By repeating these and similar plants, she crafts a harmonious, unified appearance. “They’re the guardians,” she says, “delivering structure and guiding movement.”

TOPIARY

Topiaries epitomize the precision of formal gardens, with their meticulously trimmed foliage and artful forms. Wayment favors hornbeams, boxwoods, arborvitae and linden trees for her shapely creations. She uses topiaries in an assortment of  impressive roles­­­, from framing entrances to anchoring planters and accentuating focal points. They infuse her gardens with classical elegance and the interest delivered by  shapes and height changes.

GATES 

With their decorative flair and eye-catching designs, gates are more than just functional transitions—they’re focal points that catch the eye. Wayment takes cues from the architecture of a home, crafting gates that harmonize with its style and selecting colors and materials that complement the overall aesthetic. “Metal structures are my favorites; they stand the test of time. But you can’t deny the timeless charm of wood, especially in English gardens,” she muses.

CALMING COLOR

Formal gardens of the past embellished their evergreen shrub, hedge and tree plantings with readily available blooming plants, predominantly whites, pinks, lavenders and other subdued tones. Wayment favors these paler tones in her designs. Yellow? Maybe. Buttercream? Absolutely. “I lean towards the softer hues reminiscent of English gardens,” remarks the designer, who strategically echoes these colors throughout her designs to amplify the soothing simplicity and cohesion of the landscapes.

WATER

“I love water everywhere,” Wayment declares with a laugh. This explains the fountains, ponds and pools she integrates throughout her formal garden designs. “Water has an amazing way of cooling things down visually, and its sound is so serene.” Plus, it draws birds and wildlife. With tiered fountains stealing the show and serene pools and ponds creating refreshing backdrops, Wayment’s gardens become inviting outdoor oases. “They help draw visitors in and guide their movements throughout a garden.”

RHYTHM AND REPETITION 

“Repetition creates a rhythm and connects you to the space,” notes Wayment. She deliberately selects a refined palette of plants, repeating them strategically to establish rhythm and balance, reinforcing the formal design. This intentional repetition at precise intervals fosters a harmonious, unified appearance while preserving the elegance and simplicity inherent in formal style gardens.

ARCHITECTURAL TIES 

Wayment emphasizes the importance of aligning a garden with the house’s architecture by complementing and embracing its style, scale, massings and materials. “This helps to create a sense of harmony and flow between the house and its landscape,” she says. The designer also considers views from indoor spaces, making certain that garden scenes are perfected, inside and out. 

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Every year, the St. George Area Parade of Homes presents a spectacular show, where talented builders, designers and architects present dozens of must-see homes loaded with design inspiration and ideas. If you’re pondering your next decorating move, take your lead from these pros. Here are four trends we spotted and savored during the 2024 event.

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Find more design-driven content on our sister publication Utah Style & Design magazine.

Calling all Utah gardeners! Get your garden spring-ready with this checklist of tasks for the month of May. Checklist courtesy of the USU Extension. For more tips, visit Utah State University Gardeners’ Almanac Monthly Gardening Checklists.

• Plant warm-season vegetables and annual flowers once the threat of frost has passed. 
• Plant tomatoes deep enough that they are able to form more roots along the stem to create a vigorous plant.
• Thin overcrowded seedlings using scissors. Try to avoid disturbing young roots.
• Plant summer-blooming bulbs including gladiola, begonia, dahlia and canna.
• Divide warm-season ornamental grasses when new growth begins to emerge.
• Allow the foliage of spring blooming bulbs (tulips, daffodils, and crocus) to die down before removing the leaves.
• Control broadleaf weeds in the lawn when temperatures are between 60-80 F. Follow the label and stop use of broadleaf herbicides once the temperature is above 85°F.
• Apply a slow-release lawn fertilizer to provide long-lasting results through the summer months.

Featured image courtesy of Vitolda Klein via Unsplash.

Get more gardening tips for Utah’s landscape here.

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