I have a gravel garden .Last summer , a friend helped me to make a raised
bed from new 'sleepers'.It looks great.
I filled it with top soil, and planted it with various small
plants,including French lavender which would not have survived in my cold
clay wet Scottish soil of a normal garden!

I intend making another smaller one for ornamental plants and growing some
nice veggies in the original bed.

I treated the wood with stained wood oil and it reaslly is a nice contrast
against the gravel.

Good luck to anyone else thinking of making a raised bed.

Roy


"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...

Steve,

I use 6in by 4in treated timber boards just screwed together.

I dug over the soil the first year and added compost. Every year I add a
bit more compost and its gradually building up.

You don't need to fill them all up the first season.

Make three beds and rotate them with roots, brassicas and 'other' (look up
'crop roatation').

I don't like the sound of gravel and mulch sheets as its very detrimental
to wildlife - nothing can feed... birds, animals, insects - it might as
well be concrete.

But that's just me...

Good luck,

Keith



"80/20" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a small lawn that is not it's best because it is used in the
summer as a patio area, the table, chairs and umbrella stand all turn
the lawn yellow.

I am thinking of digging it up and covering the area will gravel,
after putting down a mulch sheet.

I also would like to put triangular raised beds on the 4 corners to
grow veg in.

Questions:
How high would you make the beds?
I have plenty of home made compost, could this be used to fill the
beds?
What crops would you recommend?

TIA
Steve