After one day of banging, digging and sawing we had the beginnings of the plan on the soil instead of just scribbled on the back of an envelope.
Retaining boards and the first two beds done.
The view from the top before I started digging on day two. While I still had the strength to hold the camera!!
First barrow load in, it looks pathetically small, I just kept reminding myself that even a bucket fills up one drop at a time left under a dripping tap.
While I was filling the smallest bed (Dad's Bed), Lovely Hubby was already springing into action building more beds.
After an hour or so I scarpered back to the house to fetch some liquid refreshments ... and came back to find him posing with his hammer :-)
Sides being lined up with posts.
By the end of the weekend this is what we have.
Dad's bed one third filled, to get this far took eleven wheelbarrow fulls before I gave up the ghost and went in to make sandwiches and cake ... I know pathetic, I have no stamina!! To give you an idea of scale this smallest bed is two metres in each direction.
Hopefully I'll be doing a couple of barrow fulls a day this week to fill it a bit more if I can summon up the energy and enthusiasm.
Suky is slightly baffled by the change to the hillside but is enjoying picking her way over the boards every time we go out.
We have chosen to use good quality treated wooden boards and strong corner posts well hammered in, as we want this to last. All the tops and cut edges will be treated with creosote on a regular basis and hopefully once this job is done we will not have to repeat it. For us this is a permanent thing, and the priority is to take things slowly and steadily and do it right. Obviously we have had the opportunity through renting our last two properties to trial this all before in different ways and this is the way that we have decided works the best for us.
And finally ...... the Winner of Rear of the Year ......
.... goes to Lovely Hubby :-)
Sue xx
LH is like a Duracell bunny he just keeps going and going doesn't he? It's all coming along, slow but sure.
ReplyDeleteJean x
I wonder where his batteries are ;-)
DeleteMy back aches in sympathy! Wow what a lot of hard work :) Well done it will look smashing planted up :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see rows of lettuces etc ... but I have a feeling there's a lot of bunnies also waiting to see rows of lettuces, LH is talking about 'rabbit proofing' the fence, but I think it will be a losing battle, still we may have a go.
DeleteSorry to jump in but I rabbit proofed my veg patch and I've so far kept them out. Trouble is you have to dig in the wire!
DeleteThat is a lot of work. Quite a slope isn't it. Will the front of each bed be any higher to keep the soil in place or is the slope gentle enough to go without?
ReplyDeleteNo, the beds are the same depth all the way around we will just have to rake uphill whenever we are smoothing things over. Once planted things should hold the soil in place just fine. And as you can see we have dividers in the downhill beds to both hold the soil in place and to give the beds extra rigidity. Fingers crossed the plans all work out well.
DeleteThanks for the detailed photos, now I just need to borrow your hubby :)
ReplyDeleteNoooo .... he's mine all mine ;-)
DeleteHey it's really coming on now isn't it? Your hard work will pay off when you're reaping your harvests. A challenge indeed!
ReplyDeleteIt's very satisfying at the end of the day to stand back and see what we've accomplished. Hence all the piccies on the Blog a permanent record of what we are doing.
DeletePhew! I'm sweating for you both just looking at the pics!
ReplyDeleteI feel sure you'll will be almost if not fully self sufficient in veg soon!
As for the rear of the year..........looking a lot more 'toned' than last time I saw a pic of it lol!
Now, just need the energy, weather and enthusiasm to getting my raised beds and garden sorted!
He'll love you for that :-)
DeleteHe is in trousers two sizes smaller than last year!!
Looking fab and moving in the right direction. You guys have been working incredibly hard, its all very impressive.
ReplyDeleteAs for your hubby, well what ever drinks and snacks he's having are most definitely giving him oddles of energy thats for sure!
X x
Once he gets started there's no stopping him, he loves it. So much better than his day job.
DeleteIt'll be worth it in the end Sue. Hope your back is holding up! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm having a day off from digging today.... just weeding the front flower bed and planting flowers seeds. Got to keep moving or I'll seize up :-)
DeleteLooking fantastic! Will these beds be inside your polytunnel when planning is sorted? Was wondering whether you would just put it up over the top of them...
ReplyDeleteHi Ellen, No this area is much bigger than the polytunnel and net tunnel they will be on the bottom two tiers you see in the top photo, they will each be 25ft by 12ft.. The poly tunnel will be on the lower level and the net tunnel behind it, then a gap, possibly to hold some cold frames and then this area of raised beds.
DeleteThe polytunnel will have similar beds inside it though, two narrow along the outside edges and one wider in the middle and a long potting bench ..... gosh I miss having a potting bench!!
I could watch hubby working all day, even some one else hubby, hope he had a hot bath and a cold beer
ReplyDeleteHe had a long cool deep bath, he is still suffering from his nettle and hogweed stings and has to have baths with soothing stuff in, so a cool bath and an even cooler beer ... oh and a slice of cake :-)
DeleteSuch satisfaction, and when the veg gets going it will all be worth it.
ReplyDeleteBet hubby wasn't too please with you putting that piccy online, ha ha
Briony
x
Hehehe ....he hasn't seen it yet ;-)
DeleteHi Sue your hubby certainly earns his coffee and cake, can I just ask is that a new blog you have life would be so simple if .....
ReplyDeleteIt is. It's an idea I had and made notes on and then decided to register the Blog address while it was still available. One day I'll even get round to posting on it.
DeleteThis all looks so exciting Sue! My mouth is watering with the thought of all those lovely veggies which will one day grow there...so you must be in imagination heaven! Just hold on to those thoughts of you both, sitting cosily by the woodburner this winter, greedily choosing all your lovely seed for next growing season xxx
ReplyDeleteLooks like a major undertaking but I bet you'll be happy with it when it's done. It will all be worth the effort then!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed
ReplyDelete( and not just by the rear)
It's all looking good.
ReplyDeleteMike lost a stone and a half the first year we were here..
Wow, that is a HUGE growing space. Can't wait to see what you grow there, it's going to be so good
ReplyDeleteI don't envy you filling those beds filling and wheelbarrowing is the worst job for me as it highlights my weakness, I have spondylosis which affects my shoulder and arm so am very limited in my weight carrying abilities. I hate feeling useless but as you say slowly but surely. One thing we have done with our raised beds is turned them into no dig composting/lasgne/mulch beds essential each bed becomes a compost heap which is left for a year to rot down then topped with molehills ready for planting, ideal if you are prepared to wait.
ReplyDeleteIts all looking really good......dont give up! It wil be worth all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteWe made something similar last summer with some raised beds, we never got round to filling them with earth, we gave up and when the weather turned we just left them...now we are just growing a fantastic crop of dock leaves and thistles!!! xx