Building raised beds in front of patio ... what plants to put in them?

[wishingchair]

Patio is 40cm higher than garden so needed something to stop people falling off it. So we're building 2.5m long raised beds either side of the steps with sleepers and want to plant something substantial, but not grow too tall, and that will look and smell nice.

Friend suggested lavender which would meet all of the above criteria but am slightly concerned about the quantity of bees it would attract so close to the house ...

All ideas welcome!

Herbs would smell nice & be useful in the kitchen too. Heathers would look pretty in the winter.

All herbs like lavender, marjoram etc will attract bees - as will all flowers! They're more interested in nectar than in stinging, honest

Lavender is really good though as it is tough, pretty kiddie-proof and you'll get somecolour in winter.

You can get some dwarf eunonymous (oh god I can never spell it) which are evergreen variegated and will make a nice little mini-hedge - or box of course.

Herbs would be nice and useful but it's a really big area and I really want a kind of mini-hedge to discourage falling children! Also want it to look nice from the sitting room and my herbs always look straggly.

Take your point primula re: bees
I love heather so maybe could have both lavender and heather ... taller lavender, lower heather. I'm hopeless at this - will have to make trip to garden centre. Thanks for your ideas (and you did spell dwarf eunonymous right according to google!)