Raised Gardens
Introduction
Raised gardens can be an excellent alternative to traditional garden types for the following reasons.
Accessibility for people with mobility issues and disabilities.
Clean alternative for people who are dealing with polluted soil. This can happen due to flooding, chemical spills, local or historic industry, PFAS from fire extinguishers if there have been fires or firefighter training in the area.
Permeable growing medium can be used in raised beds where the soil is too hard and compacted to dig in.
Types of Raised Beds
Drainpipe Rain Garden
If your garden is too small for a regular rain garden (or perhaps you have an alleyway or street facing downspout with no space to dig) then creating a mini container garden to host wetland plants is the solution you need!
These compact gardens can absorb and clean water before allowing it to run off. They can boost biodiversity, and add a natural looking point of interest to an otherwise ugly or boring part of your building.
These can be build right up against your wall, without risking the structure of your foundation, and only need occasional maintenance to remove and replace dead plants, or trim back any that have become overgrown.
Herb Spirals
This is is similar to a raised bed, generally built with rocks or bricks to create the edges and help hold the soil in place. These are a great way to provide a variety of growing conditions (microclimates) in a very small space. Herbs that love dry soils should be planted at the top, and those that prefer more water can sit at lower levels of the spiral. Sun-loving plants can sit on the sunny side, while more delicate plants won't mind sitting in the shadier sections.
Hügelkultur Beds
Hügelkultur beds are traditionally raised to around 2 meters high, but more recent versions involve digging trenches, and not building as high. For example only to around a meter high or even less depending on the available resources including wood.
They can be lined with rocks or set inside of raised beds, or you can leave them bare, with only much and plants to hold everything in place.
"Hügelkultur (pronounced “hoogle-culture”) is German for “hill culture.” Hügelkultur entails growing crops on a raised, earthen mound that consists of a foundation of fresh or rotting logs and branches covered in layers of manure, compostable materials and soil."- Eco Farming Daily
6:07 minute video shows a variety of ways these can be built.
Potted Gardens
For people living with only balconies, paves spaces, heavily polluted soil, or for those who have to move frequently or don't know when they'll settle down potted plants offer an excellent option. The plants are more mobile in case you move or have to bring them in during storms, freezes, or heatwaves.
Potted plants have less soil to work with, so they may need to be fed and watered more often than those with more soil. Potted plants also offer the option to move them around if you realize the area they are in doesn't have enough sunlight, or gets too much sun or rain.
Avoid using black pots as these absorb the most heat, and can cook your plants in strong, direct sunlight. Lighter colours pots will help reflect solar heat, but you can also position your pots so that certain pots and their plants can shelter the more delicate plants.
Traditional Raised Beds
In wetter climates with poor soil, raised beds can be a great solution for keeping roots from getting waterlogged, and you can easily build healthy soil on top of clay or other troublesome soil types.
People with bad backs, or who use wheelchairs may still be able to garden so long as the bed is a reasonable height.
Materials for Raised Beds
Wood Boards and Logs Raised beds are often lined with wood, but you should be careful to avoid treated wood, which (though it can last many years in a garden) eventually rots down and releases toxic chemicals into the soil.
Bricks and Concrete Blocks can be used, but may heat up the soil making them inappropriate for hotter climates, or beneficial in colder climates.
Metal (such as livestock troughs) can leach heavy metals into soil, and overheat soil. They can however help create particularly high raised beds, which is particularly helpful for people dealing with mobility issues. If using a metal container, make sure to drill come drainage holes, so that your plants don't end up swimming in the event of heavy or prolonged rains.
Resources
Drain Pipe Wetland
How to Build a Mini Drainpipe Wetland "Do you wish you had a pond, but don’t have the space? Here’s a great idea to turn your drainpipe into a mini-pond with built in water supply – you’ll have your very own wetland reserve. And it’s virtually maintenance free."
Herb Spirals
Hügelkultur
Garden Myths: Hügelkultur Gardening Method & Hügelkultur Raised Beds
Hügelkultur: The Ultimate Raised Garden Beds provides useful diagrams and information including what tree species to avoid using as some are toxic or resist breaking down.
Maps
International
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."
Europe
UK
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."
Grants & Funding
Europe
UK
National award schemes There are a number of key organisations offering grants and advice to community based projects e.g.
Big Lottery Fund "Groups can apply to us for funding under £20,000, or over £20,001, depending on what they want to do."
Heritage Fund "We fund projects of all sizes that connect people and communities to the UK’s heritage."
Grow Wild UK "Bringing people together to value and enjoy wildflowers and fungi"