One of the most satisfying and not to mention rather easier ways to create a new garden bed, if you are quite willing to wait until next spring to plant, is by sheet mulching.
By next spring you’ll have a lovely garden bed without cutting and hauling the turf or weeds away! Brilliant!!
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Outline the new garden bed with an extension cord or rope.
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Once you have the dimensions you want, use flour, bone meal or even upside down spray paint (will last 2 mowings if you make a mistake) to mark the bed.
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Mow or trample down the area you’ve marked.
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Cover the area with a layer of recycled cardboard or even newspaper (I use 4 thick and avoid the colour sections). Make sure you don’t have any gaps.
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Add a layer of compost, about 3 to 4 inches thick, but you can certainly add more if you like. If the compost is dry, you can water it in a bit.
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Add a layer of mulch, I’ve used leaves, or straw and both work well. This layer of mulch should be at least 6 inches deep and no, you don’t need to trample them down or compact them.