Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.

Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

Hi Mike

Our local group established a keyhole garden at one of the local primary schools. Although I
haven't had any late feedback, at the time we put it in the kids were delighted - they could
actually reach all parts of the garden to do their planting, and commented hour it will be easy
to pick stuff when it is ripe (eg beans and peas etc.

Can't add much more

David

Mike Davis wrote:

If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.

Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

I've got a sort of keyhole bed in my back garden, see website at
http://pages.unisonfree.net/gburnett/Garden/

It's good in terms of access- more suited to a 'zone 1', the small back
garden where one is mainly looking at saladings, herbs, etc, rather than a
more broadscale 'zone 2-3' maincropping plot (eg, an allotment or similar),
where I'd recommend the more traditional 8x4 style raised beds with paths
for ease of weeding and other maintainace.

cheers graham


"Mike Davis" wrote in message
news:rWu5b.97118$xf.4175@lakeread04...
If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

Graham,

Thanks for the information and the link. I am always interested in what
others have found successful (or not) since I'll never have enough time in
life to make all possible mistakes and learn from them...

Regards,
Mike D.


"Graham Burnett" wrote in message
...
I've got a sort of keyhole bed in my back garden, see website at
http://pages.unisonfree.net/gburnett/Garden/

It's good in terms of access- more suited to a 'zone 1', the small back
garden where one is mainly looking at saladings, herbs, etc, rather than a
more broadscale 'zone 2-3' maincropping plot (eg, an allotment or
similar),
where I'd recommend the more traditional 8x4 style raised beds with paths
for ease of weeding and other maintainace.

cheers graham


"Mike Davis" wrote in message
news:rWu5b.97118$xf.4175@lakeread04...
If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

Thanks, David. I'm glad the children enjoyed it. We used a garden in a
school we founded years ago. The kids really got a kick out of being able to
take home some of their "produce" at harvest time.

Regards,
Mike D.

"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Mike

Our local group established a keyhole garden at one of the local primary
schools. Although I
haven't had any late feedback, at the time we put it in the kids were
delighted - they could
actually reach all parts of the garden to do their planting, and commented
hour it will be easy
to pick stuff when it is ripe (eg beans and peas etc.

Can't add much more

David

Mike Davis wrote:

If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.

Has anyone actually used keyhole beds or mandala gardens?
 

Key hole beds are a good design concept and always look nice, but they may
not suit everyone. I initially set out to lay my back yard out in a keyhole
shaped design, but found that 'design' wise it didn't really fit well with a
rectangular shaped block with fences.

I also wanted to encoroprate a chook tractor and make everything quick and
easy. I went with square shape that isn't too large, old railway sleeper
size (So I can reach into the middle of the bed) I also wanted to 'fox'
proof the chook pen and have it fitting on the beds as a moveable tractor.
Keyhold design made this much more difficult to achieve.

http://www.jeack.com.au/~kirsty/03ya...2-2208_IMG.gif

Keyhole design was my first attempt at a 'permaculture' garden, before I
read more and thought about what I could achive on a small suburban block. I
certainly wouldnt dismiss keyhole design. I have seen it done well on other
suburban blocks.(without chook tractors) But it would have made more work
for me in the long run. Now the 'girls' do all my digging, and I just move
them along every three weeks. 7 beds in total
"Mike Davis" wrote in message
news:hU%6b.28490$j26.8559@lakeread02...
Graham,

Thanks for the information and the link. I am always interested in what
others have found successful (or not) since I'll never have enough time in
life to make all possible mistakes and learn from them...

Regards,
Mike D.


"Graham Burnett" wrote in message
...
I've got a sort of keyhole bed in my back garden, see website at
http://pages.unisonfree.net/gburnett/Garden/

It's good in terms of access- more suited to a 'zone 1', the small back
garden where one is mainly looking at saladings, herbs, etc, rather than
a
more broadscale 'zone 2-3' maincropping plot (eg, an allotment or
similar),
where I'd recommend the more traditional 8x4 style raised beds with
paths
for ease of weeding and other maintainace.

cheers graham


"Mike Davis" wrote in message
news:rWu5b.97118$xf.4175@lakeread04...
If so, would you share your experience, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks,
Mike D.




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003