Homemade raised beds - on grass

Busy in the front garden now the weather is improving

My little veg seedlings have been responding well to the raised temperatures (although only about 8-12 degrees still) and longer days. So I thought it was about time I sorted out where I'm going to put them all.

With one day's notice, I managed to order a load of reclaimed wood from Aldingbourne Country Centre - my new favourite place - and some free labour, AKA Handy Dad. I had a quick measure up with Mr Realistic in the front garden, and ordered 15cm wide planks for four raised beds, 180cm long and 110 wide. Stuart at Aldingbourne cut all the pieces to size, along with 16 stakes, and we picked them up in the car, along with some cake from the cafe.

I love the character of the reclaimed wood

Handy Dad reckoned it would take us three weeks to put them all together. I said we've got two hours, so we'd better get on with it! It ended up taking three hours, but I'm so chuffed with the result. They're strong, gorgeous and going to last years and years, all for £75 and a glass of sherry for Handy Dad. All I need now is a load of topsoil to put straight onto the grass, which will compost down underneath. No digging or time required, excellent.

So today, while baby had her 1.5 hour nap, and CP was quietly tangling up her kite string with the full 30m of tape measure, Mr Realistic and I carefully positioned the beds and hammered them down. I couldn't help but think - they're huge, how on earth am I going to fill them all?

The Picasso carrot and onion bed

CP and I then had lots of time leftover to plant our red onion sets (12cm apart) and carrot seeds (the onion's best friend apparently). I can't bring myself to plant in straight rows, so we marked out our efforts with little stones, accidentally creating a large, sad face :-( Perhaps because there will be no room for the leeks I had planned for there too.

We then planted our first ever potatoes, very exciting, at 22cm apart and 60cm between rows. Ditto - no room for lots of broad beans and peas.

I looked at the new beds again and couldn't help but think - they're never going to be big enough! Where am I going to put everything?!