Hello everyone, Happy new year. I feel rather guilty as I have neglected to look for my private messages or indeed to look on this site since the end of Nov. other things seemed to have taken over and my gardening took a back seat, However-- I have built into our new decking area a raised bed, its about 12 ft in length and 3 ft wide with a depth od 2 feet or so the bottom is of shale and rock. it runs north to south but the trees and garage roof shelter it from a full day of sun, but it is very light as we live on a Welsh hillside. (with no reall depth of soil).
I have placed a layer of sheep and cow manure mixed with straw in the bottom and good load of reasonble soil has been tipped in on top then a thin layer of the muck placed on top (I took advantage of the Manito which delivered to soil, to tip the muck on top, it took a full morning of hard barrow work to put the initial load of muck in the bottom and I could not bear to watch the wife struggling again,) Any way I want lots of colour this year and have been thinking of small begonias at the front and large ones behind with a few trailing Lobelia at the very front. as I have a clean sheet what would any off you good people suggest??