Great idea, with all the rocks in my ground I'll probably need raised beds as well. Another idea I've seen to keep critters from burrowing in underneath, is using chicken wire or some type of metal fencing on the bottom instead of the hardware cloth. That way any excess water can get through the bottom along with the roots if they grow that deep, but a gopher can't get up into the bed.

I've also seen where people have made hugelkultur- type raised beds where they put in a layer of old trees before filling with soil, to cut down the amount of soil they needed to fill it. I've never done anything like this, but just thought I'd throw those ideas out there. Getting started this fall is wise, I think, good luck gettin' 'er done.