As the weather warms up, prepping two new beds is a priority for FIONA CUMBERPATCH
It’s Operation Raised Bed here in my back garden and all systems are go! I’ve been on a mission to reduce the number of smaller pots in my space. Although I will continue to cluster mini containers together in prime spots by the back door, or on my potting table, there are some plants that really don’t enjoy cramped conditions. So I was very excited to spot a range of galvanised-steel raised beds at B&Q recently. The oval shape makes them very versatile and they sit beautifully alongside my curved brick path. At just over 1m long and 60cm wide, they’re not huge, but they are 50cm deep, which means I can nurture some of my hungrier plants with plenty of rich compost.
I won’t need to fill the entire container with soil; that would take a lot of shovelling and cost a fortune! Instead, it’s fine to start with a layer of cardboard. Next I’ll add some logs, leaving gaps between them, and covering everything with a thick layer of soil, watered in with a hose. An armful of small tree or shrub cuttings from my green bin follows, with another generous layer of soil on top, and a blast of water to make sure everything settles. A few bags of well-rotted leaves from the autumn will be piled on next. The rest of the bed can be filled up with a mixture of two parts compost to one part top soil. It’s cheaper and, as everything slowly rots down, it’ll enrich the soil.
Now comes the fun part: the planting! I saw a wonderful chunky twiggy wigwam smothered with nasturtiums and dahlias at Audley End gardens in Essex last year and I’ll be giving this a try at one end of the raised bed, ensuring some height and
late-summer colour. I plan to add a ruff of spicy orange crocosmia at the edges and, just because I can’t resist their boho br
