MAILBOX
I WANT TO BUILD
A TALL RAISED
GARDEN BED SO
THAT I DON’T HAVE TO
BEND DOWN TO GARDEN.
I NEED TO KNOW THE
DEPTH OF THE STRUCTURE
AND HOW TO BUILD THE
BOTTOM PART SO THAT
NOT TOO MUCH SOIL IS
NEEDED. I WOULD LIKE
TO PLANT VEGIES IN IT.
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP?
Marli Jur, via emailPHIL DUDMAN SAYS The depth
of the structure depends on what you
fi nd most comfortable. The standard
height of a table is about 75cm, so you
might use that as a guide for deciding
on the depth of your raised garden bed.Be aware that the deeper the bed,
the quicker it will dry out, so you will
have to water it more often. You need
a depth of about 40cm of nice topsoil
that’s rich in organic matter. Below
that, you can fi ll it with less expensive
soil. Don’t be tempted to fi ll it with
rubble or polystyrene – which some
people do to save money – as you
might regret it down the track when
you need to do some deeper digging.What a beauty!
We discovered this beautiful
single-stem flower in the
garden of a special person
from our garden club.
The owner, with her garden
companion friend, showed
us around the nooks and
glorious trees, naming
yellow and red native
hibiscus and tree dahlias,
and pulling up shoots and
giving cuttings to all of us
to grow. Her happy nature,
care and attention to plants
is a joy, as is this flower
growing by her garage.
Kerry Borg, Camperdown, VicEditor’s note: This plant is
Chrysanthemum ‘Matchsticks’,
which grows about 45cm high.
PHOTOISTOCKCrimson beauties burst with song,
They greet me on my path.
Their joyous tune a contrast to
The sorrow in my heart.I stop to gaze then reach for them,
Caressing ruby spines.
The softest stamens in my hand,
Such graceful little lines.And then to catch me unawares,
They start to jig and bounce.
A daring breeze has whipped them up,
Oh, how they love to flounce!Their radiance cannot be cooled,
They shine with inner light.
And even if I close my eyes,
They hear my soul’s plight.Unique are they, unlike the rose,
Which dominates our tales.
Yet glorious their presence is,
A balm to hurts and ails.So humming as I wander on,
I turn to soak them in.
A miracle on a dreary day,
They warm me from within.
Sophie Chenoweth, Sydney, NSWTHE BOTTLEBRUSH
90 SEPTEMBER 2019 GARDENING AUSTRALIA