all ready for plantingSometimes, Eddie and I get joint gifts for our birthday because we only have a few weeks between the dates. (I am August 22 and he is September 9th) One year we got tickets to see Sting and Annie Lennox at the Hollywood Bowl. That was when we lived in an apartment in Hollywood and we just walked over to the Bowl.
This year, now that we bought our house and are in full "fix-up" mode, we find ourselves wanting (or needing) things like a new raised bed garden planter. I was so delighted when the 7 foot box arrived and even more delighted when Eddie began to put it together.
We are planning on using the principles of square foot gardening for this bed. We are going to start with lettuce and anything we can plant in fall for our zone. Next spring, we will begin with a summer veggie garden. We are also planning a whiskey barrel of tomatoes or perhaps a hanging tomato garden.
The planter box was not as easy as it looks to put together....although with the addition of a few decorative wood peices from the depot, she should spiffy right up.
The open bottom will have a layer of fiber (almost like felt) and sturdy mesh that holds the dirt in. This allows for the water to drain and keeps the soil very loose and light. Creating crops that harvest twice as much in a smaller space. 
I am working on a flagstone walkway (landing pad) just at the base of the garden bed. I am thinking of trying ground-cover between the stones....or perhaps small pebbles.
