Raised Beds…

Beautiful Planting, lots of advantages

Why raised beds?  There are several advantages to raised flower beds. The display of plants at the right level really makes the garden sing.  You can also have trailing plants overflowing the raised bed to complement the full arrangement. Not everyone is a keen gardener. Maintenance is much easier than at ground level. This is because a raised bed is much less prone to weeds. At ground level, the flower beds and borders are a direct low target for every weed, seed, and spread of unwanted flora.  It is also much easier to do a spring clean, trim, or over-winter mulch on a raised bed.  Your knees will thank you!

Any raised bed design is possible. It can be traditional style constructed treated timber, brick or sleepers.  Rendered and painted raised beds are all the rage and give a more contemporary style.  These can be painted any colour with decent exterior masonry paint.  Wickes does a large range of exterior paints that fit the purpose.

A bit more about planting, lighting, and size:

• Obviously, a well-constructed raised bed can also have weatherproof lighting if desired. This really takes the garden to the next level at night and makes for an impressive space to entertain or simply to relax.  We can easily plan all electrical work at the design stage, to ensure everything is fitted to the correct standard for use, safety, and maximum effect.
• Just about any plant or shrub can be planted in raised beds, but it is essential there is good drainage at the base.  A thick layer of 20mm shingle can help with this. Most gardens aren’t ‘wet gardens’ so any plant won’t like having its roots overwhelmed by poor drainage.  We can make excellent suggestions as part of a planting scheme for height, colour, and even scent. Obviously, that choice must take into account the key elements for any plant; those being light/position, water, and climate/heat/cold.  A plant does well in the right environment. If your plant loves full sun and you place it under a tree, then it isn’t going to do very well! We can advise on sensible plant choice.  We can also save, keep and advise on existing plants before the project starts.
• It might seem strange, but the dimensions of a raised bed in terms of height and depth from front to back, need careful consideration too. This ratio and arrangement must fit with the overall size of the garden. It will be different in every case.  If the raised bed is the wrong size, then it can spoil the entire layout and look.  We are experts at getting this just right. Looking down your garden must give you a sense of perfect proportion. We will achieve that.

A side note on plant sourcing…
We will advise on plant choice and where to source them. The key to maximising the success of any plant is choosing something with a strong root structure and decent potential for growth.  Just grabbing something half-dead from a DIY store is likely to remain small…or half-dead for its entire short life!   Some plants can be saved in your garden and it’s interesting at the first meeting to see what you have. If something is thriving in your garden before the makeover, then it’ll most likely thrive after the makeover because it loves the soil, light, and position.