Guide
How to measure a garden
Measure garden beds in square feet, then convert that area into the right amount of mulch, topsoil, compost, or decorative stone. Search an address, trace each bed, and get the numbers you need in minutes.
Measure once, order once, and avoid paying for material you don’t need.
Opens the free tool on your property — no sign-up to start.
Step by step
Search your address
Search the property address and zoom in on the garden beds.
Trace each bed
Trace each garden or flower bed as its own area. For curved beds, add extra points to follow the edge more closely.
Calculate materials
Each garden bed reports its square footage, making it easy to calculate mulch, soil, compost, or stone based on your desired depth.
Convert square feet into cubic yards
To estimate mulch, soil, compost, or gravel, multiply the measured area by the installation depth (in inches) and divide by 324 to calculate cubic yards.
Example: a 300 sq ft bed at 3 inches deep = 300 × 3 ÷ 324 ≈ 2.8 cubic yards. As a rule of thumb, one cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft at 3 inches.
Common garden materials you can estimate
Once a bed is measured, you can estimate materials like:
- Mulch
- Topsoil
- Compost
- Decorative stone
- River rock
- Pea gravel
- Garden soil
- Bark mulch
Measure each bed separately
Measure every bed as its own area — garden beds, flower beds, or landscape beds — so you can order different materials or depths while still seeing a combined total for the entire project.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I measure a garden bed?
Search your address, trace each bed on the satellite image, and read its square footage. Draw multiple beds as separate areas to get a combined total.
How much mulch or soil do I need?
Multiply the bed’s square footage by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 300 sq ft bed at 3 inches is about 2.8 cubic yards.
Can I measure several beds at once?
Yes. Each bed is its own area with its own square footage, and they total together for ordering.
Can I measure curved flower beds?
Yes. Simply add more points while tracing to closely match the curve. The more closely you follow the edge, the more accurate your measurement will be.
Can I calculate decorative stone too?
Yes. Once you’ve measured the bed, use the installation depth to estimate decorative rock, pea gravel, river rock, or other landscape materials.