I want to grow more! I am running out of space and suddenly the answer came to me………raised beds! And not only in the back but the front of the house as well.
Our front garden is boring. It is enlivened by one poor Cordyline(sp?)which my son brought down from Scotland for us. Living on an estate the gardens all run into one another and although some people do their best to make the front of their houses individual others don’t and I afraid until this moment I have been of that category of garden owner! To be fair to myself I just didn’t know how to proceed.
It is a very small patch of grass and ends just after the paving slab path. But it suddenly came to me….why not put in a small double brick wall between my neighbour and us. A double brick wall with earth in the middle so that I can grow herbs, flowers, whatever. Anything that is tolerant of shade as the front of the house is north facing.
This wouldn’t be a high wall just a couple of feet or so, but enough to make a statement. There is just enough room between the path and the end of our house. So this will be a project.
And then I thought, you can see I’m beginning to get carried away here, why not a raised bed in the back garden.
I could slice off a section at the end of the lawn by the paving slabs and perhaps have a raised bed here about a metre deep and whatever length there is at that spot. This would give me oodles more room to grow things such as vegetables; particularly crops to go into the autumn and winter. And this spot gets a lot of sun for most of the day! Oh I’m full of ideas! I have yet to discuss this with Martin but I’m hoping to go ahead with the back garden project this week. I’d be happier if it had been done yesterday but this coming week will do!
Why raised beds? I think some nice drought tolerant flowers would be nice in front of the sidewalk. :)
ReplyDeleteRaised beds Ann because the soil is useless. This way I can get some decent soil under the plants. Most estates are like this because heavy machinery just trundles across the ground, backwards and forwards for months on end and then the top soil is eroded! Need I say more? And drought tolerant? We get more rain in Cornwall than we like or need! And we need to be able to park a car on the lawn if necessary. Space is at a premium here! :-) Val
ReplyDeleteGo for it! Raised beds = more space for plants!
ReplyDeleteOh! all that lovely space at the front. I would go for some sort of enclosure feel and get rid of the grass not worth getting a mower out the front for that. Just think how many plants you could squeeze in then.
ReplyDeleteI did that in our front and have never regretted getting rid of the grass.
I'd do similar to Joanne, get rid of the grass - I have around the same amount and plan on getting rid as it's just annoying getting the mower round. Have it paved/gravelled/slate/pebbled have a nice mix of the different types and plant things amongst it like alpines or other plants that do well in a North-facing garden...
ReplyDeleteOurs is north facing, so if you're interested I can let you know what does well.
Some great ideas here. A friend has built a wall like the one you're considering and I think it's now his favourite bit of the garden. It's so easy to look after, apart from anything else.
ReplyDeleteYou could have a sort of chequerboard effect in front, which a neighbour of mine has done. They made raised beds about 18ins square using two rows of bricks, and grow alpines and grasses.
Raised bed will be quick, new fertile soil for plants to grow.... If done well, the bed will somehow blend with the surrounding.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to the project,
~ bangchik
Thank you for all your comments. Raised beds it is! I shall have to work on my husband with regard to getting rid of the grass Joanne and Liz. :-) Val
ReplyDelete