Raised garden beds

Hi

Has anyone here built raised garden beds and has advice or photos to share? I need to build raised beds so I can easily maintain my gardens without having to bend my d o d g y (!) knees.

A friend suggested that we simply build timber boxes (without bottoms) about 60cm high and sit them in position beside the fence, then fill them with dirt. To allow for sufficient water drainage I was thinking of putting large rocks or similar along the bottom before filling the bottomless boxes with dirt.

Does this sound feasible?

Are you can probably tell I have no idea what I am doing! Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

I quite like http://www.bluescopewater.com/go/reside ... arden-beds and these http://www.needarainwatertank.com.au/gardenbeds.html

I have no building skills so I'm looking at ready made or flatpack/ikea style to put it together. Easier than timber for me.

The DIY instructions are just fill it up but I'd be inclined to put something that drains well at the bottom at least.

When using these set ups, it is a pointless exercise to fill right to the bottom with good high grade soil. Fill the bottom with sand and rubble for all it matters.
It is only the top 400mm that needs to be a high grade soil. For those starting a garden, a healthy soil will not smell offensive. A cheaper low grade one will. The difference in plant growth, water consumption and overall better plant health between the two is huge.

We're having 400mm raised planters along one side of our garden, made of rendered concrete blocks, capped with sandstone bullnose pavers to match the rest of our paving. We're not doing it ourselves though, the pros are starting next week.

Can you tell I'm excited...?

I'll aim to take progress photos and post them, in case anyone's keen to see how it's done. I'll be at work some days though, so it'll be pot luck as to whether I get many pics.

A fairly easy way to do raised beds from timber is to use treated pine sleepers. Check out Jellylegs' work here: http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=29361&p=405930&hilit=raised+beds#p405930

by the way, I've seen some houses with DIY planter box.

So could that be varied a bit and made as a garden bed ( no base)?

Seems the material for a planter box is less chucky than sleepers ( i don't know what usually the timber used. Chipboard/ blueboard for building the feature wall?)

Thanks so much for your suggestions and particularly for the link to the photos of the garden beds. That is exactly what I am attempting to achieve and by studying the photos I should be able to work out what to do. However, if I don't work it out and do it all wrong, I'll post the photos here so people know what NOT to do

I'm off now to Bunnings to buy my treated pine sleepers.

Thanks a heap!

http://www.gardenersdirect.com.au/comme ... y=+++GO!++

We built a raised garden with the our left over bricks... It took my Dad and I two days to build and whilst it's not perfect - I reckon it's pretty great!! We did as Fu suggested and filled the bottom with the crappy soils from our yard and added good soil and mulch to the top half. I've already filled it with plants and want another one!!



Edit: I should add that neither my Dad nor I are brickies so don't look too closely

...

I disagree - I think your raised garden bed looks awesome. Well done!

Give it a going over with some Hydrochloric acid and those bricks should clean up very well. Good job

I agree - gtreat job!

If a raised garden bed is going against a timber fence, what should go on the fence to stop it rotting or should the garden bed have 4 sides to it?

Cheers
Kim

build retaining wall to fence line other wise you could be responsible in replacing fence in the future.

I thought so - thanks

Cheers
Kim

That's fab! Well done

Hmmm, just spoke to a friend who will be building the beds for me and he questioned using treated pine over hardwood. Has anyone who has done these compared the cost? I only plan to stay here another five years or so and don't want to build something outrageous that will compete with the Great Wall of China!

I dislike the use of hard wood because it sure as hell doesn't grow overnight. Some one fells a 300 year old tree so they can make a post or turn it into wood chips for a garden. Those timbers if used should be made into something truely beautiful. Something that displays the wonderful texures of the grains and can be polished to show up the colours. (If it has to be used at all that is)

Pines will more often than not come from tree plantations and be much longer lasting. Over here anything less would be eaten by white ants in no time.

Thanks Fu - I have done this once already and cleaned it up a fair bit, but it probably needs another go - perhaps sometime when it's not so hot!!

Thanks everyone for your kind words - I am very happy with it and visit it several times each day

Hardwood sleepers are usually made from the remainders after the good parts have been used elsewhere. Plantation timber is usually heavily sprayed with pesticides and herbacides. The choice on environmental criteria is not so obvious as may first appear.

Yeah it is a tough compromise. I still think a 300 year old tree deserves to live longer.

Hey Artstitches,
Loving looking at your progress on your blog, however would you be able to tell me where you ordered our pergola from?? cheers