SCORE! They look like 8" square? 16 on each side and 4 on each end would give a very nice sized bed.

I love Craigslist.

Yes, indeed. They are similar to what I have and I love them. No worries about rot, termites, etc. ever. When you install them, it's easier if you dig a small trench in the ground and fill it with gravel. Always work from the lowest point in the ground to the highest point. Level the trench and then put the stones right on top. Be VERY sure that they are level from side to side, front to back, and with their close neighbors. It's very doable. I built my beds myself using only hand tools and a level.

Here is a link that might be useful: My garden in year two.

Those ain't bricks, those be retaining wall blocks!

Great find! Just be careful picking them up and moving them, as they are *HEAVY*! I hope that you have a very sturdy pickup truck.

The nice thing about those with raised beds is that there's a nice surface to rest your tired rump on. The negative about raised beds in your climate is that they'll be more apt to heat up and dry out, so I'd keep them pretty low.

Zounds! What a find!
I just got turned on to a place where the guy was evicted and left all of his garden stuff! Bunches of wine barrels, plants etc. The place won't be re-rented, so we were told to go for it! I think one trip will be just brick! Nancy

"They look like 8" square? 16 on each side and 4 on each end would give a very nice sized bed."

That would be for one course (layer) of blocks. With three courses, 40 blocks would be 2 blocks shy of enough for a 3 block by 4 block bed, if my figuring is correct.

Jim

They are not really good, IMHO. And that is because the smooth sides are not parallel. So you have two choices: either you lay then as in a retaining wall, but you will have to go at least two high and you will need more than 40, and on top of that you have a lot of wasted ground because they occupy a lot of it.

Or, you lay them vertically. If you lay them rough side up, you will have triangular gaps at ground level, which will dry your beds. If you lay them alternatively rough side up and down, the look will be uneven but at least there will be no gaps.

All this assuming space is at a premium. I only have some 1940 sq ft inside the electric fence. I use Lowe's narrow cinder blocks. Had I used retaining wall bricks I would lose 3 beds or so of space.