Let’s talk about the advantages of a raised bed for a moment, which are numerous. When we have completed the construction of the raised bed frame, we will be feeling pretty chuffed and smug within ourselves. Well to be honest this is only the beginning. It is a big step up from the conventional and traditional garden that we have been accustomed to for years. This is gardening on another level. We can now almost call ourselves professional – well in name at any rate.

The assembly process is pretty simple and practically anybody can achieve this. With a little flair and creativity, we can achieve this task with ease. A standard frame of approx 8ftx4ft is about the norm, for beginners. Plans and ideas are available online; even the frames themselves are available for purchase over the internet. The costs of these is not astronomical by any means, but nevertheless search out a good sturdy outfit because we want this raised bed to be around for the long term. The bed itself can be assembled in less than an hour. Positioning and location of this is paramount, we need to place this in a sunny spot so as to avail of the advantages of the sun.

Having infilled the bed with a good mix of soil, compost and organic fertiliser which can be purchased at any good garden centre, it is time to look at what we plant therein. If it is to be used for just flowers and shrubs – this is fairly standard, but for vegetables and salad plants it is ideal. Imagine what satisfaction can be gained from what some call ‘growing your own’. The hugh advantage of this activity is we can see what the process is like from start to end. A lot has been said and written lately about what types of sprays and pesticides are used in the growing of our food, also how many airmiles it has travelled etc.

The number one advantage of the raised bed is that we have an ideal safe environment for whatever we decide to sew. Watering can be regulated by means of an irrigation system or we can always do this manually. What feeds we apply is also very transparent as this can be had from any reputable garden centre. Vegetables are a lot happier in their new raised surroundings. Slugs and other pests can be managed in a friendly manner. Companion planting is the new buzz word in gardening circles. By that I mean – plant some marigold flowers amongst your veg, the scent of these will deter all greenfly and whitefly. Happy gardening.