Using raised beds is a great technique if you are trying to get a garden going in poor soil, though the benefits of this idea apply no matter where you live.
You can build raised beds with a supply of simple lumber and a few basic tools. They are just large frames of wood, around 6 to 8 inches deep. Fill them up with good soil and compost, and you have a perfect place to start planting some seeds.
Besides the issue of poor soil, there are a few other things that a raised bed can do you for you. The first is keep out some pests. Airborne bugs are still a problem, but the raised walls of the bed do keep out soil pests to a degree (especially during the first year). Eventually, your boxes of soil will have just as many bugs in it as the regular dirt does, so it’s not really a permanent fix. Even if you don’t make a bottom for your boxes, voles and other small animals may not find your garden because they tend to stay just a few inches below the surface.
If you really have trouble with soil-living pests, you can even create a bottom for your beds to make these work more like really large containers. Otherwise, leave the bottom open so your plant roots can get into the ground below your layer of soil if they need to go that deep. Alternatively, line the bottom of your frame with chicken wire before putting in the soil. Roots can grow through it, and things like gophers are kept out. Small voles may still get through the wire. If they are your main pest, get smaller gauge wire material instead.
A raised bed will bring your soil surface up a little higher, making it easier on your back and knees to get weeds picked or produce gathered.