Landscape timbers are perhaps the easiest of all the materials to use in a garden bed. Rot-resistant redwood or cedar landscape timbers are commonly available at garden centers and lumber yards.
Treated landscape timbers are similar, only smaller, and can be used much the same way. Landscape timbers can also be used for making raised beds and pergolas. As with railroad ties, it's not a good idea to use any treated wood around edible plants.
Landscape timbers should have holes drilled through them, so that a piece of steel re-bar (used in concrete work) can be driven through all timbers, and into the ground.
Composite landscape timbers. Some landscape timbers are made to look like weathered wood. They are made from recycled plastic, weather well, are easy to install, and are long lasting.
Concrete block or stone.
To support soil at the low end, we sandwiched it between a strip of heavy-duty vinyl edging and landscape timbers.
Landscape timbers or treated 2 X 12's work best for this. You can stack these about five high.
Possible edging materials include plastic edging, bricks, concrete blocks, or landscape timbers.
The wide edges of landscape timbers are handy to sit on while weeding or harvesting. Because the permanent paths need no water, fertilizer, soil amendments or tilling, costs and labor are reduced.
Materials often used for the walls include: cinder blocks, landscape timbers, railroad ties, and interlocking paving blocks. Some of these are available at garden centers.
Raised beds are easy to build using landscape timbers. With simple woodworking skills and common tools, you can achieve a good-looking, functional bed in just a few hours.
If using landscape timbers and your terrace is low (less than 2 feet), you only need to bury the timber to about half its thickness or less. The width of the trench should be slightly wider than your timber.
The material can be either river rock, pea gravel (use natural colors), cypress bark 3-4" deep, grass, brick or stepping stones interplanted with moss or thyme. Choose a border - plants, brick, landscape timbers or precast border forms.
Home-built units can be constructed from pallets, lumber, hardware cloth, tires, and metal barrels, among other materials. Some people like the appearance of permanent structures which can be made from landscape timbers, concrete blocks, rocks, ...
" Raised beds also improve drainage and virtually eliminate the soil compaction created by foot traffic: plant roots love fluffy, loose soil. A bed height of eight to 12 inches supported by landscape timbers is ideal.
 See also: Plant, Landscape, Soil, Scape, Gardening
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