I have been using nothing but cedar for my raised beds. Two of my beds are going on 5 years old, and they are in excellent shape. I have 5 more and this is their first year. The only change I made was the size. The two original ones are 4 x 4 which I found difficult to work with because I am not young anymore. Consequently, because they are perennial, I have strawberries in one and asparagus in the other. My new beds are 10 feet by 2 feet and easier for me to tend. I love them and would have no other method. The first two beds have dado joints with screws; the newer ones are butt joints with deck screws.

I've used almost everything you can imagine over the years...wood, concrete, landscape timbers, straw bales, etc, etc. Mel Bartholomew had a quote in his book that i loved. he said the best material for a raised bed is material that's free. If you're worried about the ascetics of the bed, that's one thing. If you just want to keep the soil in place, you have many options and they will all do the job.

Amiesue - I have many beds, most constructed of landscape timbers. I am on the shoreline. Drop me an email and maybe you can stop by to look at them if you feel you are close enough.