A fir wood raised garden bed with a lower storage shelf, suited to growing vegetables, herbs or cut flowers at a comfortable working height.
The planting area sits at a height that lets you tend the bed without stooping, which makes a considerable difference over the course of a season's worth of watering, thinning and harvesting. The inner lining holds the soil in place and the two drainage holes at the base prevent water from sitting around the roots; both are worth having, and neither should be taken for granted in a planter at this size. The lower shelf adds somewhere to rest a trug, a watering can or a few pots of seedlings waiting their turn.
The weather-resistant coating on the fir wood structure means the planter can stay outside through the year, though a light re-treatment every spring will extend its life considerably. Assembly is required on arrival, and it is worth taking the time to do it properly rather than rushing; joints that are seated correctly from the start will hold far better through the wet months.
Raised garden bed in fir wood with weather-resistant finish
Overall dimensions: 100W x 30D x 70.5H cm
Inner planting area: 97W x 18.5D x 19.5H cm
Soil capacity: 35 litres
Planting bed base sits 48 cm from the ground
Lower shelf: 73W x 30D cm, capacity 25 kg
Maximum load for the planter: 50 kg; assembly required
Sow in spring once the soil has had a day or two to warm in the bed, and you will find it holds heat rather better than open ground. A 35-litre capacity rewards generous planting; the mistake most people make is understocking a raised bed and then wondering why it looks sparse through July.
