Kitchen garden raised bed

A raised kitchen garden bed with the fresh greens combining beautifully with the pops of colour from the edible flowers and natural stone materials.

This garden upgrade included the addition of an edible growing area adjacent to the kitchen door and the outdoor seating area.

Read on to see the before and after images, plant selections list, 3D visuals and design process.

Project brief:

• replacement of old boundary fence

• adequate space for growing varying herbs and vegetables

• retain view from outdoor dining space down the side garden path

• new paving joining the kitchen and outdoor space

• raised planter top wide enough to side on

• supporting frame along boundary fence for taller plants and climbers

• integrated irrigation network

• materials to tie into existing garden palette
  

The design process:

1. The design process always commences with a discussion with client to understand what they envisage for this space, the expected timescale and the project budget.

2. Site analysis allows for the understanding of the sun's movement across the garden, areas with low sunlight levels will have an impact on the species of plants and trees chosen, and specifically important for growing edible plants which need the majority of the day to be located in good sunshine.

3. A concept design is created based on the clients brief.

4. Visuals are created using sketchup to aid the clients understanding of the scale of the intended design, the height of the elements, the views across the space, and the combination of materials and plants. Typically created as still images, a video for larger garden can also be created as a walk through process. 3D visuals are very helpful to share with clients with regards to design and material options, as seen in images below.

5. Once the concept design is approved, detailed drawings are created which aids with costing calculations to be measured against the budget.

The build process

1. A build team is secured and a start date agreed.

2. Material quantities are calculated and ordered to site, either in full or in staggered stages depending on the storage space available and the clients cashflow systems.

3. Regular site visits can be organised to review progress on site

Plants included:

• rosemary

• 2 lettuce varieties

• spring onion

• nasturtiums

• calendula

• oregano

• chamomile

• sanguisorba tanna

• thyme

• bay

• sorrel

• spinach

• tomatoes

• chives

• parsley

• dill

• celery

• strawberries

A group of tall bay shrubs were positioned in the corner to add height to the bed while retaining the requested view out from the outdoor dining area. Bay shrubs are a great addition to a kitchen garden corner, keeping in mind they should be positioned in full sun, sheltered from strong winds and can be sensitive to frost, so their corner position was a good location for these.

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Thanks for reading, any questions, we would love to hear from you!