Thanks for both your replies!! To answer why a raised bed... Mainly because the depth of good topsoil in that area was very shallow with grey clay underneath. So in deference to digging or tilling it all up and amending (got a bad back so digging is no fun), it was easier to just build (and I used that word lightly...) the raised bed and fill it with good soil. It also seems to be a good idea because I never have to weed that area and always assumed it was because it was higher than the grass. And why not take it down..... Aside from liking the way it looks, the main reason is that the outer edge of it runs along the "property line' between my yard and my neighbor's. He pulls his car onto his side to wash it and he's an ass, so I wouldn't put it past him to run over or step on my flowers if there wasn't some sort of wall there. Plus, it keeps people from accidently stepping into the garden when walking up my walkway which I fear they might do if it were ground level. bonnie

While it may very well be easier/more advisable to grow in native soil, it is not always practical to fill raised beds with native soils. Who has 2-3 cubic yards of extra soil sitting around? Importing soil is really the only alternative! Obviously, bulk soils will have the economic advantage over bagged soils. But if you have to go with bagged ingredients, you do not need to get fancy. Just topsoil and compost is all that's required - raised beds do not require drainage enhancers like perlite (vermiculite impedes drainage, not enhances, so nix on that!) - raised beds by definition will have good drainage. Peat is also unnecessary and may alter soil mix pH unfavorably. And these sorts of pricey amendments add unnecessary expense to an outdoor planting mix. Bagged "topsoil" - whatever that may be - and compost/composted manures is all that is necessary to formulate a perfectly adequate planting soil mix for raised beds. A little coarse sand thrown in won't hurt either. That is very close to what you will find with bulk soil providers as an all purpose planting mix. I would go with a 60-30-10 ratio: 60% topsoil, 30% compost or composted manure and 10% coarse sand.

OK...Here goes. I added a basement under my garage which doubled my storage and workshop. In fact I moved my entire workshop down below. Here's how I did it. Since my garage was a 2 car model I decided to run an 8 inch block wall down the center. I started by making a cut in the floor just on the other side of the center line and removerd all the concrete from one side only. Next I began excavating the dirt down the center line. I did this all by hand by the way. When I got to within 6 feet of the east wall, the garage runs north and south with the door facing south. I dug a 4 foot trench to the east foundation. There I found out there was no foundation, the entryway and family room shared the same slab, so with the help of coworkers we excavated out the dirt and put in an 8 inch conctete block wall running the entire length of the east wall. We did this by laying up a 32 inch wall with a saw tooth and then excavated to the left and laid in the block we moved left to right until the entire wall was done. The tricky part was digging around the footings of the center wall, the house, and the south footing. A friend showed me how to dig out only enough to set in a footing with 2 8 inch block. We stacked these up saw tooth style and poured them full of concrete. Next we dug out next to the block and proceded to add block and footings as we went interlocking the saw tooth block. We made sure we only took out enough dirt to allow for 2 inches of rigid ins. behind the block. The footings along the door and west side as well as the interior wall poised a completely different problem and that was solved by the same process the difference was triming the foundation even with the block and laying up a new wall that when it got even with the foundation and exsiting block we drilled holes and inserted 5/8 rebar which we filled with concrete. This was done in a saw tooth fashion. Adding only a two block type wall each time. First we would do the right hand side and then the left hand side etc. As the basement took form we continued tying the new block to the old block which was 5 block deep into the ground. When we got to the top or the garage floor we laid in a half block so we could pour a 10 inch rebar floor. Since I had a wall running down the length of the barage we poured the floor in 2 pours. The wall had an eight foot opening with double 4 foot steel doors comerical grade. This allowed access between the two rooms that were created. The second pour wasn't as hard as the first because I put in a subterranean car lift that allowed me to store a third auto in the basement. I even excavated 10 feet under my driveway for additional storage and a storm shelter. The entire project took over 18 months. But the good thing about the entire project it was inside work and we only took out that dirt that allowed us to lay in block to support the existing foundation. My friend brought over his Heavy Const. book and showed me how the big boys do it and we followed their examples. The book is called Principles and Practices of Heavy Construction by Ronald Smith. There is a chapter addressing just such problems. Its called underpinning. But instead we decided to lay up a completely new wall and tie the existing wall to it. Once the concrete floor was laid the entire structure was tied together. The work was done during the evening hours with a trailer in the next bay that was filled with dirt. A friend needed the dirt so getting rid of it was easy. This is NOT a project for the faint hearted. It takes time and patience because you don't get a second chance if it all falls down. But with planning and slow steady work you can do it. My project costs about $13,000 but I had a lot of help and after it was done a few contractors said they wouldn't even consider the project. I did have to move my water line and a sewer line but as luck would have it they fit neatly behind the new block wall. The only outward appearence of the entire project was the PODS sitting in the driveway storing my STUFF while we worked. We stored the block, sand and mixer in the garage. I only purchased the amounts that would fit into the garage. I looked for sales too. This allowed us, me, to work 24/7 rain or shine. I now have a dust collecting system for the shop. No more dust in the house and my wife can get her SUV in the garage!!!!! The footing was 12 inch vee block laid sideways and filled with concrete and rebar with the ends sticking out to accept the next section of footing. This also allowed the new basement floor to be tied to the wall via the rebar. There are no cracks. YET.

I suggest gaining a clearer understanding of how much fill volume is needed. Depending on its size it may take a dump truck as many as three loads to deliver 30 cubic yards of material. It's unreasonable to do this with your car. Using your car, at a minimum you're looking at 60 round trips. You'll need to bag, load, unload, and spread the material versus having it dumped into position and only needing to spread it. Between fuel costs, wear/tear on car, time and labor...it's highly impractical. Since you plan to place a concrete pad over this fill, there's also the need for compaction, and base requirements for freeze-thaw cycles and concrete pad weight. Over time you may be able to acquire the needed fill for free, but you'll be paying for the concrete mix whether you lay the pad yourself or professionally...and a poor base will eventually get you a bad concrete pad that must be replaced in a few years. This is a large job that ought to be hired out to professionals whom offer a warranty. I'm not saying you can't do it yourself, but at the very least hire out delivery, and hire a skilled helper because after all your time, effort, and money, the last thing you want is a cracked/broken parking pad. As others have already said, you need rock...lots and lots of rock and gravel. Don't even bother with dirt because it will take too long to settle, and after compaction it may still wash out. As yardtractor1 said, call a professional for a free phone estimate. Question them on the specifics of the job so you can gain an appreciation of the task before you. Ask for a breakdown between labor and material costs. If you find it unaffordable, at least you'll have an accurate idea of what's involved and the cost you to do it yourself. As an aside, kindly use another pejorative for shabbily built. Many cowboys know how to properly build a raised parking pad, and also own companies that build them. I'm sure you weren't being "obnoxious" or intending offense, but many of us from the Western USA might take offense. Thank you.