Re: [gardeners] Opinions please
lneuru (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 26 Aug 2001 11:40:03 -0400
I am sure the plants in the bed will be the focal point. Do what you have
time to do and don't worry about it. You can always change it later.
Lucinda
----------
> From: Terry King <taeking@endlesshealth.com>
> To: Gardens & Gardening <GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU>; Gardeners
<gardeners@globalgarden.com>
> Subject: [gardeners] Opinions please
> Date: Sunday, August 26, 2001 10:54 AM
>
> When building a new bed do you prefer symmetrical geometric shapes or
> freestyle or do you do a mix of both?
>
> I ask because earlier this year I tried a new technique to build a bed.
Its
> called Lasagna gardening (yes a Rodale Press book which I am regretting
to a
> certain extent every time I go to the mail box). Basically it is
building a
> bed by sheet composting and planting immediately. So far it seems to be
> working fairly well with a few caveats. One being that the book advised
> laying thick layers of newspaper or cardboard on top of unbroken sod.
This
> does work well unless you have quackgrass, thistles, dandelions or any
other
> impossible to deter perennial weeds growing where you want the new bed.
>
> Anyway, I built a bed around the base of a Larch tree that grows in my
lawn.
> The dogs were always digging dust hovels there and the grass didn't grow
> well because the trees sucks up so much moisture. I slapped the bed
> together in spare moments when I wasn't going to school. I'm afraid I
> wasn't as careful to shape as I should have been and the circle around
the
> tree isn't a completely round circle. Its approximately 50' in
> circumference and more of a rounded heart shape, without the extreme dip
the
> top of a heart shape has, than circular. I am currently putting in a mow
> strip of 8x16 red patio blocks and white sand to match the mow strips on
my
> other beds. My other beds are more regular geometric shapes, mostly
> straight sides and rounded corners.
>
> Since the bed is raised, I will finish it off by laying our native rock
(a
> mix if river rock and field stones) up the sloped edges of the bed inside
> the mow strip.
>
> I can't decide if should leave the new bed the irregular shape or to do
the
> work to round it out? I don't think it looks too bad the way it is but
I'm
> wondering what other people's perceptions are about an irregular bed in a
> garden when the other beds are more regular geometrically? My yard is
not
> formal by any means, it's more rustic with enough geometry to look
organized
> and tidy, or at least I hope so. :-D
>
> Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
> Terry
> E. WA.