Gardening – Structure added with lateral thinking

For most gardeners, structures are important to give options for growing all sorts of crops and ornamental plants. Structures need not cost a fortune to build, in fact many can be built for free!

The simplest structure, of course, is the raised bed. In my ornamental gardens these just consist of lengths of 4×2 (in metric 100x50mm) placed on the ground and fastened with wooden stakes. Most of these came from recycled building materials (decks, etc). These simple raised beds help elevate the root systems above our winter bog conditions, leading to healthier plants and less losses to root rot. Gardening is a little easier too, with the edges being for kneeling while weeding.

In the vegetable garden, an extra layer of timber enables even better drainage and more soil depth to incorporate compost, mulch and fertilisers. I’ve screwed one metre high wooden uprights into each corner. These are used to drape bird mesh, hang hoses and tools (with the help of hooks and adjustable hose clamps) and attach climbing frames.

The climbing frames themselves are easily made from medium sized bamboo, which grows prolifically in this area. Crisscross them for a mesh frame or join several together at the top to form a tepee, using natural twine to fasten. Over time the stakes and the twine will break down and they can then be smashed up and added to the compost heap as valuable carboniferous material.

A cheap marquee frame left over from a family event has been installed over the tomato beds, encased with bird mesh rather than the marquee cover supplied with it. At the end of the season we’ll dismantle and stow it for next year; we should get several seasons out of it before the thin metal rusts. Simple and very effective cloches can be made by cutting out the bottom of the large water bottles used for office drinking stations. With the top also removed, the cloche doesn’t get too hot, but the extra warmth and protection provided is ideal for new plants in spring.

I’m currently eyeing up an old extendable umbrella that we have had for some years. The fabric is starting to tear, but the metal frame is still good for many years yet. Rather than discard it, I might cover it in plastic or dense mesh and use it for frost/rain protection for some of my more sensitive plants that don’t cope well in our cold wet winter and spring.

An old glasshouse that was reclad with plastic panels some years ago to make an insect-proof enclosure has served very well as the all-year-round tomato house and spring seedling area. Old polystyrene slabs have been laid on the floor and covered in weedmat to help keep the warmth in, with a path of recycled pavers down the middle.

Wooden transport pallets have also found a second life. I’ve seen these used as compost bin sides, but we already have a set of three compost bins so, instead, the pallets are set up against the side of the compost bin, with extra planks added to form U-shaped planters. Hey presto, a vertical garden, perfect to harden off seedlings, grow herbs in pots and storage for small pots and other useful bits and pieces most gardeners accumulate. With a scavenger’s eye and a bit of lateral thinking, any garden can be transformed!