Making vegetable beds. Secrets of mounting high beds: from the choice of boards to giving the original shape. How to make beautiful beds in the country: photo examples of decorative fences
The season of beds and fields is approaching, which means it's time to start replenishing your arsenal of knowledge in the field of gardening.
In a new review, specific examples will show new, very interesting ways to design green spaces and beds on your site. Happy viewing, folks.
1. Orderly garden
Instead of randomly planting an entire summer cottage with vegetables, create a neat, fenced garden on your territory, with separate beds for growing different crops.
To create such a garden, you will need boards, a grid and available wooden and metal containers. Plank beds dug into the ground are perfect for growing cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, while metal and wooden containers can be used for growing zucchini, pumpkins and herbs.
2. Raised beds with support
Cucumbers, melons, legumes and any other liana plants are very demanding to care for. Such plants need warm soil, plenty of sunlight, and eventually support. For the successful cultivation of such plants, raised beds, which can be made from wooden planks, are best suited. Between the two beds should be placed a trellis from a bent mesh.
3. Spiral beds
On a plot with limited space, it makes sense to build spiral beds. Such structures look very attractive and are perfect for growing greens, herbs, carrots, strawberries and flowers.
4. Raised beds
You can use bricks and paving slabs to create raised beds. Such a trick will allow you to beautifully zone the garden and will not allow the roots of plants to spread too much, interfering with other crops. In the center of such a garden, you can put a large trough or barrel of water for easy watering.
5. Tapestries
From ordinary branches tied with ropes in the form of a wigwam, you will get wonderful trellises for growing climbing plants.
6. A bed of cinder blocks
From unnecessary cinder blocks, you can build an original and practical raised bed.
To do this, you need to outline the shape and size of the future beds and arrange the cinder blocks along the intended perimeter, slightly digging them into the ground. Inside the bed, you can cover it with oilcloth or cardboard, cover the bottom with fallen leaves and any organic waste, compost and cover it all with fertile soil. Plants in such a flower bed are not afraid of night frosts and temperature changes that occur in spring.
7. Bright flower beds
Raised beds with colorful borders are great for growing flowers, herbs, and some vegetables. It is much easier to take care of such beds than ordinary ones, and their appearance will please the eye and attract the attention of neighbors.
8. Pallet beds
From unnecessary wooden pallets, you can build wonderful beds that are ideal for growing greens, herbs and lettuce. Plants in such beds look very neat, and their leaves will not get dirty with earth during the rains.
9. Baskets
To create insulated raised beds, literally any container is suitable. Even banal tomatoes and cabbages will look exquisite in beautiful wicker baskets.
10. Gabion flower bed
High beds of gabions will be a real highlight of the suburban area. Due to their flexibility, gabions can be used to make various original frames and even create real works of art.
Video bonus:
11. Metal bed
Sheets of metal can also be used to create beautiful raised beds. For example, using metal sheets, you can create a beautiful multi-level structure for growing flowers and greenery.
12. Lazy garden
Make a box of the desired size from the boards with small bars on the sides. The bars need to be dug into the ground after which, be sure to check the sides of the beds with a level. From the inside, to the wooden sides, you need to attach trimmings of PVC pipes for hoops with mesh or film, cover the bottom of the bed with a metal mesh and cover with soil. This design can also be equipped with an automatic irrigation system. The harvest on such a bed will be early and rich, and caring for it will not bring much trouble.
Beds with vegetables, which are customary to grow in the country, can become a real decoration of the site. To design and implement a designer garden, you can do without the help of a specialist. One has only to arm yourself with our tips, see photos of the "French beds" and you can start creating your own.
The name "French garden" came to us from the distant past - the reign of Louis XIV. The flower beds of the royal garden had a rectangular shape, they were certainly decorated with a stone figure and a sundial. Today, the key feature of such beds is their spectacular appearance: the French garden is decorated with beautiful flowers, trees, shrubs.
The French garden is a combination of practicality and presentable appearance of the beds.We plan the beds
The first task of the owner, who is going to build a decorative fence for the beds with his own hands, is the correct layout. There are rules according to which the following preparatory work should be performed:
- It is advisable to choose a sunny zone, and also make sure that the land for vegetables is fertile. Vegetables will give a good harvest if these simple conditions are observed during their planting.
- It should be understood that caring for vegetables is a duty that must be performed daily. If the owner is not ready to spend a lot of time loosening the earth, cleaning leaves, watering, it is better to plan a small area than to mark out a huge plot of land for beds.
- High beds look extremely aesthetically pleasing and have a special charm. However, moisture-loving plants cannot be planted in them, since water evaporates faster at a height.
- Empirically, the optimal width of the beds was derived - 80 cm. Then the care of vegetables and flowers will be effective, the appearance of the beds will be neat, and the harvest will be predictable.
- A good way to improve yields is to place the beds along a north-south direction. Then the plants will not shade their neighbors, which will increase the time they are in the sun.
- If the site is located in a relief area, it is better to plan the beds in a lowland. In this case, the water will not evaporate quickly, and the humidity of the earth will remain sufficient for a long time.
- Rectangular flower beds are popular among summer residents - their layout is simpler, but they look neat. However, landscape design experts recommend trying other options that best fit into existing conditions. You can break the beds in a round, oval, triangular, semicircular shape, as in our photos.
Rectangular bed is considered the best option Plant selection
Gardeners are happy to observe the entire period of vegetable growth: the initial stage, when the sprouts are just beginning to grow stronger, then the appearance of flowers and, finally, fruiting. Landscape designers strive to use in their work the attractiveness and beauty of each stage of plant development. In addition, when choosing crops, many factors should be taken into account:
- It is important that the plants that are in the neighborhood are compatible.
- Cabbage, corn, cucumbers get along well with any crops.
- Root crops - carrots, celery, parsley grow well in the company of onions, leeks and garlic.
- Spicy herbs go well with vegetable crops. This distribution makes sense - the smell of plants repels some pests, and the bed looks prettier. In addition, the combination of herbs and vegetables can improve the taste of the latter. Experienced gardeners have noticed that the taste of cabbage will be brighter if dill is planted next to it, and tomatoes are juicier and more appetizing if basil is grown near them.
- It is advisable to plant spicy herbs around the perimeter of the garden - this way you can decorate it, as well as protect vegetables from pests.
- When forming the contents of plantings, the size of adult cultures should be taken into account. For example, plants that grow large, it makes sense to plant on the north side. Then they will not obscure smaller neighbors.
- Combining the color of vegetable leaves is another way to turn your home garden into a work of art. Salads with leaves of different shades can be harmoniously combined in one sector. Aerobatics - to make a set of plants so that the color of the leaves of vegetable plants changes gradually, smoothly moving from light green to dark green.
Different colors of plants - a landscape designer's tool After working out the placement of vegetable crops and herbs, the remaining space can be filled with flowers or other ornamental plants.
We decorate the beds: along the contour we plant fruit trees, as well as shrubs. These plants not only play the role of decor, but also protect vegetables from the wind. To continue the design, decorations are installed next to the garden - decorative lanterns, sculptures, forged arches with climbing plants. On the path set a bench or bench where you can relax.
Rules for organizing space for the garden
Before you start preparing the land, you should think about what type of beds is preferable. They can be regular or high. The first option does not require significant efforts to organize it, the second is a little more difficult to do. In addition, a tall garden retains moisture worse, so it is better not to do it where the summer is very hot. At the same time, high beds have a lot of advantages:
- They are better warmed by the sun, which means that the plants will feel comfortable.
- Elevated plants are easier to care for than those at ground level.
- Moles and rodents will not be able to get to vegetables if a piece of plaster mesh is placed under fertile soil.
- It is possible to enhance the heat transfer of the earth in such a bed due to the composition of the earth - the lower layer is made from a quickly compostable substance, the upper one is from the one that rots more slowly.
- High landings look much more impressive than simple ones, they are extraordinarily beautiful. Due to the material for their fencing, you can further improve the view, create a single composition with other elements of the site. Our photos show interesting options for such structures.
Raised beds get more sun and are much easier to care for. We will tell you how to build high beds. We will give some recommendations on their organization and design.
Choose the height of the beds
First you need to decide on the height of the garden. This indicator should correspond to the landscape - the area on which the cottage is located, as well as the composition of the soil.
If the soil is good and fertile, it is better not to make the beds high - 15 centimeters will be enough. Landscape designers advise to raise them a little higher, then the beds will be isolated from the surrounding soil. When it is decided to build warm beds with a double layer of compost, their vertical size should be at least 50 cm.
What is the best way to make a fence
An important stage in the organization of a high garden is the choice of material for fencing. Wood is usually used: slats, boards, timber. This material is easy to disassemble if you want to move the garden to another place. In addition, the tree perfectly retains heat. However, natural material rots quickly when in moist soil. Let's offer a few other ideas:
- A brick fence is devoid of the shortcomings of a wooden structure, and natural stone can ennoble any structure. Curb railings for walkways also do a good job of holding the ground.
- For those who want to decorate the site in a natural natural style, a vine is suitable, from which a dense fence is woven.
- Those who want to get an inexpensive and durable border that neatly emphasizes the ideal shape of the beds will like plastic. Of course, you can use a special plastic border or border tape, which is in abundance in stores for summer residents. Suitable for both flat and regular slate, as well as metal and plastic siding.
Master class for creating beds from a curb for paths
In my personal opinion, a ready-made concrete curb for paths is an interesting material for decorating a garden. It is inexpensive, laying concrete castings 0.5 m long is by no means difficult and fast, such material serves for a long time and looks pretty decent. The photo below shows the finished result.
Beds with a border and paths The first step is to dig a groove for the curb. You can't do without pegs and twine. The marking is set along the outer contour of the trench. The depth of the groove is equal to the height of the curb and twice as wide as the latter. The external dimensions of the groove are selected as a multiple of the length of the curb stone, plus two curb thicknesses. I needed to cut several borders in half with a grinder in order to more accurately fit the size of the beds in accordance with the existing territory. I chose the width of the bed with a size of 1.2 m, which allows it to be serviced without stepping inside.
Curb groove At the bottom of an even and clean trench, he laid out a layer of sand 5 cm high and rammed it. Now you need to rearrange the pegs and drag the twine along the outer edge of the future border and 5-7 cm above ground level. A cement mortar is prepared in the ratio - one part of cement to three parts of sand. The solution needs a thick one so that you can set the curb at the right level. The curbstone is exposed to the mortar along the twine using a rubber mallet. You can knock with an ordinary hammer through a piece of wood.
Installation of a concrete curb If you plan on automatic watering, be sure to lay the pipe for the latter. As you can see, I foresaw this.
It remains to prepare the land and water No need to touch the curb for a week: let the cement harden. So, we have completely decided on the beds. Now we need to decide how to organize the space between the beds.
The prospect of crawling on the ground between the beds after the rain did not suit me. Cleaning your shoes every minute is also not a joy. These considerations led me to build inexpensive paths. The earth was cleared of grass, leveled, trampled down and covered with geotextiles. The latter is conveniently fixed to the ground with slate nails with a large hat. From above, a layer of fine gravel about 3 cm high fell asleep. The result is a simple and concise garden design.
Tomatoes are already growing in the garden Photo of the use of bricks for fencing beds
This option is quite often used to design a French garden with your own hands. This is not surprising: the material often remains unused after construction, it is easy to deliver, it is not at all difficult to lay. In general, the technology for creating brick sides is very similar to laying a concrete curb, described above in some detail. So it remains for us to consider a photo of examples of decorating brick sides with our own hands.
In this example, the brick curb is reinforced with cement mortar. The color of the border goes well with the color of the tile tracks. The garden as a whole is organized in the form of a figure.
As you can see, a brick fence can be made without cement. Of course, it is easy to dislodge. Again, the color of the border goes well with the color of the path and the fence. Brick allows you to lay out a border of any shape.
Of course, the high side must be fastened with cement mortar. You can play not only with shape, but also with height, realizing the most daring decisions. We again see that the color of the material is matched to the color of the pebbles and the base of the fence.
Brick laying at an angle is a well-known solution. If everything is done carefully, this option has the right to life.
Brick can be installed on the edge. Very interesting: it looks non-trivial, the material is well buried and is held securely in the ground. Note that it will not be very easy to fold such a structure neatly and evenly using a solution.
Gardening with plastic bottles
Plastic bottles are an affordable and reliable material. If you try and do the work carefully, you can build a pretty decent fence out of plastic bottles with your own hands. With the installation of bottles, everything is simple:
- We dig a groove two-thirds of the height of the containers.
- We hammer pegs in the corners and pull the twine to organize even lines of the sides.
- We fill the bottles with sand or colored powder. You can paint bottles.
- We install the bottles in the groove, sprinkle with earth and trample down.
A garden of bottles with your own hands can be made according to the above sample. Not very smooth, but bright. The bottles are only a third deep and therefore "walk". A variety of large figures compensates for the uneven borders.
The original solution for the installation of bottles. Metal supports are driven into the ground at the corners. The bottles are perforated. Two lines of cord are threaded through the holes in the container and tied to the stakes.
Here everything is done on five points: garden design is on top! The figures do not have even areas, and small flaws are simply not visible. Dark green and brown bottles will not lose their appearance over time. Curb shapes organize a winding path line.
Glass bottles, as you can see, are no worse. Of course, they are more difficult to collect. Obviously, any figures from the border can be laid out.
Examples of beds made of plastic panels
In some cases, plastic for the curb is the best option. Plastic does not rot or rust, however, it can be afraid of the sun and frost. The strength is not high, but it will withstand small beds.
Such beds made of plastic panels are easy to do with your own hands. These panels remained after the construction of the house. Metal supports are driven into the ground at a distance that ensures sufficient strength of the sidewall. Then install a border of PVC panels. If a special profile is put on the upper end, and the corners are ennobled with an angular profile, then the design will acquire a certain elegance.
This option is simply bought and mounted according to the instructions. Nice, plastic resistant to the atmosphere, do not overload.
Agree, very interesting! Ordinary plastic boxes. For the winter, you can carry it away and even with plants, if necessary. Of course, boxes cost money.
Plan for making a high bed
It is not so difficult to make a high bed if you follow the sequence of operations. It is important not to skip any of the steps, otherwise you will soon have to redo part of the work:
- Mark out a place for beds. Try to do this carefully so that there are no oblique lines or uneven corners.
- Remove the top layer of soil over the entire marked area.
- Fencing around the entire contour. If it is a brick, it should be fastened with mortar. If wooden boards or timber - make sure that they hold well to the ground. The vertical size of the curb should be 5-10 cm more than the planned height of the structure.
- Lay a piece of plaster mesh at the bottom to protect the plants from moles or other rodents. Next, drain the sand and gravel.
- Fill up the soil. It is optimal if at the same time an automatic watering system is installed, which will be needed for all plants.
- There is also one trick. If the fence is not made of brick or stone, two or three mounds should be built from the soil right in the center of the garden. Such a precaution will help the flower bed to avoid deformation after winter frosts.
- After preparing the beds, you should consider the organization of paths in its interior. It is important that they are neatly executed and have sufficient width for one person. The paths can be laid out with tiles, wood or sow a lawn on them.
- Separately, we note a simple and reliable way of arranging the path: cover the leveled soil with geotextiles and fill it with rubble. Then the grass will not grow on the paths, and the shoes will be clean in any weather. Chic option - marble chips. However, the rubble is gradually filled with debris, dust and soil. Grass begins to appear, and white marble loses its appearance. That is, once every five years, crushed stone must be collected and washed.
Vertical garden saves space Non-standard methods of building beds
Despite the fact that the “French garden” is not a universal phenomenon and it looks much more spectacular than ordinary beds, sometimes you want to equip something more original on your site. We will offer several ideas for decorating a vegetable garden, which are easy to build with your own hands.
Do not want to invest in the country the old fashioned way? Then why not turn the beds into a work of art. Let's see how the landscape design of a modern garden can actually look like, how to organize beautiful beds, what exactly to plant there, and other subtleties of gardening.
Modern garden and its design
A well-designed garden can be a real decoration of the entire site. Such a garden will be able to please everyone not only with a good harvest, but also with its appearance. In order for the site to look unusual and stylish, it is necessary to think over the design of the garden and garden, where ordinary vegetable beds will look no worse than bright flower beds.
The term landscape design implies the original design of not only the garden or recreation area on the site. There are a few simple rules with which even a novice gardener will be able to plan and design the design of a modern garden.
The location of the economic, front zones and recreation areas must be provided for at the design stage of the site, when there are no outbuildings on it yet. At the same time, the area for vegetable crops must be well lit. For the most part, cultivated plants are demanding on soils and lighting. Therefore, placing the beds in a sunny area with fertile soil can facilitate crop rotation.
If the primary task of the owners is not to produce a large number of blanks for the winter, then it is better to limit the number and size of the beds. A few neat, well-groomed, small beds will bring much more benefit to the owners of the site and their guests than a few dozen ordinary beds. When decorating decorative vegetable beds on the site, one should take into account not only the appearance of the plants planted in the neighborhood, but also their requirements for growth conditions. Slightly raised beds in the form of geometric shapes or waves are not always suitable for planting moisture-loving plants. The fact is that the moisture in such beds dries out quickly enough, which can lead to slow growth and drying of crops.
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As a rule, standard beds have a width of approximately 1-1.2 m. Farmers across Europe are of the opinion that the width of vegetable beds should not exceed 70cm. Narrow beds are easier to care for and have a neat appearance, which also results in higher yields and quality.
Examples of a modern ornamental garden
Here are some ideas for landscaping your vegetable garden and making your beds and whatever you plant there look attractive.
Framing beds
Every gardener wants his site to have a beautiful appearance, not only during the growing season, when the beds are decorated with an abundance of greenery and flowering plants, but also when the beds are completely bare. Small brick walls framing the beds will help lift them up a little. In addition, such decor of the site always looks neat and beautiful.
Many in the decor of the site use various curves, patterns and smooth lines. For decorating beds in a similar area, you can use ready-made modules. If you show a little imagination, then you can decorate a modern garden with plastic bottles, small-diameter stumps or other improvised materials. Decorated paths between the beds will also give a finished look to the site. It is better to cover the paths with a small layer of rubble or lay out saw cuts of trees.
Modern city in containers
Vegetable beds planted in containers will not only give the site an aesthetic appearance, they are mobile. If necessary, such decorative beds can be easily rearranged to another place, creating interesting compositions. To decorate a terrace or a barbecue area, decorative beds in containers with herbs or various herbs will help.
It is not necessary to buy special containers. As beds, you can use various flower pots, old dishes, large barrels, baskets. You can use everything that fantasy tells for planting, the main thing is that the selected containers are in harmony with other decor elements on the site.
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For planting in small containers, Ornamental Eggplant, Pepper or Cherry Tomato varieties are perfect. Even several varieties of plants can be planted in large containers, thereby creating interesting compositions.
Rich green lettuce leaves will look interesting in combination with chard leaves that have a burgundy red color. You can decorate such vegetable beds by planting some annual plants along with vegetable crops. It can be marigold, marigold or calendula.
Mixed flower and vegetable beds in a modern vegetable garden
The main trend of the modern garden is the creation of mixed beds. To decorate the correct flower and vegetable beds, various variegated plants are used, which form peculiar multi-level compositions. Using various plants, combining them correctly, you can create real works of art. It is better to plant such compositions in small islands. Greens are used as the lower tier, peppers and tomatoes are the middle tier plants. The background of mixed beds can be corn or sunflowers. Next to the sunflower, it is recommended to plant asparagus beans, which will wrap around stable stems, thereby creating additional decor in the beds. Such mixed flower and vegetable beds can be turned into real decorative flower beds.
Designing a modern garden in English and French styles
As a rule, a modern garden is decorated in French or English style. A feature of the French style is that all the green spaces on the site form a well-thought-out, complex pattern consisting of various geometric shapes. All the beauty of such a garden opens from the highest point on the site. For the design of beds in the French style, only undersized plants are used. Such plants do not grow, thereby not violating the strict geometry of the composition. Low plants are also planted along the paths, which are lined with decorative bricks or garden tiles.
The design of a modern garden in the English style is more natural. The choice of plants for such a site, the choice of plants is much wider. For planting in such a garden, you can use any vegetable crops, complementing them with various flowers and herbs. In the summer, during flowering, a well-decorated English-style garden resembles a miniature park with an abundance of flowers, the role of which is played by zucchini, ornamental cabbage and lettuce.
| Task | Solution |
| Pick up inventory | Don't skimp on tools. Cheap inventory will quickly become unusable, and you will need to buy a new one. Therefore, it is better to immediately choose high-quality things. |
| Organize storage |
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| Effectively combine cultures with each other | Play with contrasts and shapes. Pair climbing plants with oversized zucchini and watermelons, or use the same crops but different colors. |
| Lay paths between beds | Lay them out with pebbles, concrete tiles, lawn grass, or wood saw cuts. |
| Treat wooden fences | The most economical way: use copper sulfate on the inside, lime on the outside.
The most durable: terrace board. |
| Create an effective garden design | Choose a uniform style. Perfect for the garden: Mediterranean, Japanese, country. Choose matching borders, garden patterns, and garden figurines. |
Garden decor
Decorative elements are something without which it is impossible to imagine a stylish garden. A small windmill, a figurine of a garden gnome or a figurine in the shape of an animal, like an accidentally forgotten watering can or a cartwheel - all these little things will complement the design of your site, and it will sparkle with fresh colors.
The design of the beds can be the most diverse, it all depends on the imagination.
No one forbids combining vegetables with garden plants. Flower beds, arches, trellises and "huts" entwined with curly flowers will fit perfectly here.
To diversify the appearance of plantings, you can add flowers to vegetable crops, for example, marigolds.
Uniform style
We bring to your attention the most popular solutions for garden design in the general style.
Choose plants that contrast in shape and color, do not be afraid to experiment!
| Style | Colors | materials | Peculiarities |
| Mediterranean | Pastel shades, terracotta, ocher | Natural stone, paving slabs, wood flooring, brick |
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| Country | Variegated natural shades | Natural wood, stone, willow |
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| Japanese | Green palette | Small gravel, pebbles, boulders |
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| French | Delicate natural colors | Almost any: wood, stone, brick, slate, concrete |
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A stylish garden with a unique design will be the pride of any summer resident, and smart technologies, high beds and the right choice of soil will help increase productivity and save effort and money spent on care.
VIDEO: Beautiful beds - a beautiful garden with your own hands!
50 design options for a vegetable garden with beds:
