Raised beds are popular with gardeners, growers and allotmenteers. Tom Girolamo from Eco-Building & Forestry explores the need for them to be built with sustainable materials.
Can raised garden beds be part of a sustainable landscape? I've often pondered this question. Cutting down old growth cedar (or even redwoods) to construct them, using lots of other materials and doing a lot of work just to grow a few dollars' worth of vegetables doesn't sound that sustainable.
However, Sybil's raised beds (above) that I constructed for her, changed how I think. She wanted this protected and raised garden as part of her lifestyle on her property and she wanted it to fit her personality.
Lessons learned
Make raised beds fit your lifestyle and personality
Place the raised beds where you will see and use them every day
Create an outdoor 'room' with a variety of uses including relaxing and even for entertaining
Build in reduced maintenance and easy repair
Read more: http://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/sustainable-raised-beds
