It’s been a while since my last post and I haven’t been slacking.
I do however realise that in Progress update – the fInal raised bed I didn’t actually give you a finished raised bed shot so this really will be the big reveal for al of you!
That was 3 weeks ago, and since then I have laid the decking, done some more planting, potting and growing, and continued painting.
I have also managed to loose the photos that I took of the progress of laying decking (what a relief I hear you cry!). It was an easy job with the Wickes decking bearer pack as the 3m2 garden is exactly the right size (well… at least between beds in one direction). The 4m decking board order (also from Wickes) was also exactly the right amount for the garden (20 boards) including the off-cuts for the fiddly corner bits.
I have also left access for some garden lighting. I want to put in 2 decking up-lighters to pick out the front of the raised decking bed and I have laid some rope light under the floating benches to give soft low level light (piccies to come).
Here’s a lovely shot of the first corner of the raised beds as viewed from the new double kitchen doors:
I’m really loving the colour of the grey exterior wall paint that we found that closely matches our interior paint colour (again it’s Wickes cool grey) – doesn’t the red of the Acer Palmatum go well with it, as does the blue of our watering can. I’m also loving the straight lines of the bed tops, the floating benches and the decking, all of which stretch the feeling of space in the garden.
Here’s a view back passed the Crocosmia (which I must move again), through the new Phlox and mini-Hostas we bought:
Loving the way those benches float! I do need to pin and paint the cables for the under-bench rope light:
One of the Astilbes (the one that isn’t dying!) and the (temporary I’m told) bird feeder! The soil has been fertilised with compost and dug through with some new top soil to put some nutrients back before planting:
Here’s the view of the back bed looking the other way. It’s a westerly wall so there’s a lot of sun here and a straight view from the kitchen so I need to plan some spectacular planting here! Archie’s cars will soon have to be relegated from the flower beds which are now full of seeds 
Exciting!
The final raised bed (on the north wall). I love it’s shabby rough edges. It’s also the perfect height for lounging against on our square garden loungers. This (at least for this year) will be our vegetable patch! I intend to skim the embossed parts of the wall and ten paint them to give the garden even more of an exterior room-type feel.
What’s next? Ah yes, time to put my feet up!
