Narrow garden bed
4 Gorgeous Garden Looks for a Narrow Planting Strip
Make a strong design statement in an unexpected place with these ideas for perimeter plantings, pocket gardens and more
Even the savviest home gardener can struggle to see the potential in a narrow planting strip, and when that pocket garden is on the outside of the fence, is it even worth bothering about? The challenges are many: difficult to water, reflected heat from the sidewalk, careless feet and often poor soil.
Yet these perimeter plantings can act as a picture frame for the inner garden and home beyond. When you read how these designers and homeowners treated their pocket gardens, you may be tempted to rethink the location of your own boundary fence just to take advantage of this unique design opportunity.
Denise Dering Design
1. A Romantic Border
A classic white picket fence festooned with fragrant roses — what could be more romantic? The beauty of this one is that passersby can enjoy the flowers, since they're planted on the outside of the fence.
Key design features:
- Restraint in both color and plants
- Repetition of colors and plants down the entire border
- Gaining height by using the fence to support climbing roses
Color notes:
- A restrained palette of pink and blue is accented with chartreuse.
- The deeper shades of purple provide depth, ensuring that this combination will still turn heads even in late summer.
Plant selection:
- Climbing 'Mary Rose' provides height and fragrance.
- Billowing mounds of golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea') and May Night salvia (Salvia nemorosa 'May Night') form the lower tier.
- These perennials are tolerant of low water, poor soil and hot sun.
John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA
2. A Contemporary Home
The strong geometric lines of contemporary architecture call for a foliage-focused planting, and this narrow roadside border delivers.
Key design features:
- Restraint in color and plant variety
- Linear planting that echoes the horizontal lines of the home's siding and fence
- Emphasis on foliage over flowers
Color note:
- Muted earth tones
Plant selection:
- Grasses and succulents are eminently suitable for contemporary landscape design, as they rely upon their strong form rather than colorful blooms.
- These plants require minimal water and maintenance.
- The grasses add a bright note to the dark stained fence panels.
Le jardinet
3. An Entry That Establishes a Theme
A garden entrance should create a sense of anticipation, setting the scene for what is beyond. Plantings on the street side of this lattice fence do just that.
Key design features:
- An interesting combination of heights and textures makes this tiny planting pocket seem much larger than it really is.
- Several of these plants can also be glimpsed within the main garden.
Color note:
- Subdued tones of tan and pink allow the eye to move through the garden entrance.
Plant selection:
- This is a particularly hot, dry border, so these plants have been selected for their tenacity.
- Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima), feather reed grass (Calamgrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') and sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Sedum 'Herbstfreude') provide long-term interest.
More on this great garden plant combination
Le jardinet
4. Planting Strips That Link Multiple Homes
Planned communities such as this one in Kirkland, Washington, have their own challenges, not the least of which is abiding by homeowners association regulations.
These planting strips allow for individuality while maintaining a cohesive design.
Key design features:
- A narrow planting strip adjacent to the sidewalk lies beyond each homeowner's split-rail fence.
- Several plants are repeated through all the gardens, while there's still room for some unique choices.
Color note:
- Shades of blue, lavender and green are repeated throughout.
Plant selection:
- All the plants are lower than the height of the split-rail fence; allowing the fence to be glimpsed down the entire sidewalk gives the illusion of one continuous border.
- Each plant typically has a mounding habit, creating a sense of uniformity.
- Lavender (Lavandula spp) and sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Sedum 'Herbstfreude') are planted throughout these pocket gardens as well as in the adjacent communal garden areas.
Bronze-colored coral bells (Heuchera hyb.) and daylilies (Hemerocallis spp) are also used.
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Narrow Grande Garden Beds
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Each year we have a photo contest and entries are highlighted on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest (links at bottom of this page). You will get great ideas on design and function when you scroll through the post history.
If you are looking for testimonials and reviews for our garden beds, this is the place to explore. Additionally, take time to see why galvanized steel is the top choice over all garden bed materials.
Narrow beds: their advantages and disadvantages
Back in the nineties of the last century, the most progressive gardeners began to arrange their beds according to the principle of Jacob Mittlider, an American farming expert. The method of "narrow beds" turned all gardening traditions literally upside down: still, if it involves reducing the area of the ridges themselves, and increasing the passages between them, on the contrary. How can we expect an increase in yields? It turns out that it is very possible! nine0003
Now, in the era of popularity among summer residents of organic farming, few people use the Mittlider method in its pure form. But narrow beds to this day "work" in most bio-gardens for the benefit of the crop.
Why are narrow beds so good compared to traditional ones? Let's try to understand the principles, features and advantages of narrow beds.
What are narrow beds like?
Narrow beds are considered to be beds from 30 to 90 centimeters wide of any length with obligatory wide passages between them. The recommended width of the passage is 60-100 centimeters. At first glance, such a garden arrangement seems like a waste of usable space, but in fact, the aisles also have their own function. And the experience of a huge number of summer residents convinces that a decrease in the area of \u200b\u200bridges on the size of the crop has a positive effect. This method takes not quantity, but quality! nine0003
General principles of functioning of a narrow bed
Why do vegetables and other crops grow and bear fruit better in a narrow bed? The fact is that, according to scientists, the soil provides food for plants only by 40%, and they get everything else from the air. Suddenly? But this is a fact. Pay attention to the outermost row of onions, carrots, radishes or parsley in your beds.
There are always the largest and healthiest plants! Think about the terrible soils that grow city grass and trees that no one has ever fed. What do they survive on? nine0003
Wide passages between narrow beds are designed to provide each plant with a sufficient amount of air (especially carbon dioxide) necessary for growth and development. There is no middle ground on a narrow bed, since crops are planted in one row or, in extreme cases, in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. That is, each row will be "extreme" and will receive a maximum of light and air. But do not forget that the passages must be either mulched or planted with lawn grass or green manure. A growing cover or decaying organic matter in the aisles releases a large amount of carbon dioxide, from which the crops in the beds grow by leaps and bounds. nine0003
Narrow beds
Organic narrow beds are laid out according to the "warm bed" principle. That is, you will need boxes made of boards, slate or other material and plant waste of various "calibers", ranging from cardboard and paper to grass and foliage.
It is customary to place narrow beds from north to south on a flat horizontal surface of the site (so that water does not drain). In the future, you can do two things:
Method 1. First, remove the sod, if any, and dig up the ground, adding humus, manure, compost and other organic fertilizers to the ridge. Enclose the bed with a box 25 centimeters high, and spread the turf between the rows. No more digging required. The fertility of the ridges is maintained by mulching and/or growing green manure. nine0003
Method 2. Those who do not want to dig even once do otherwise. First, a box is knocked down from boards, logs or any other materials and placed on the ground. A layer of thick cardboard is laid at the bottom as an obstacle to perennial weeds and covered with sand. The second layer can be small branches, sunflower stalks, corn, straw, rotten apples, or kitchen waste. Then tops, foliage or mowed grass are laid. And finally, everything is sprinkled on top with a layer of earth or humus.
To speed up the work of microorganisms, it would be better to shed the bed with a solution of EM preparations, manure or herbal infusion. nine0037
No matter how we created the bed, it is necessary to take care of wide passages. The most beautiful solution is to plant the passages with lawn grass, which will be mowed down for mulch in the future. But it is not forbidden to simply cover the aisles with sawdust or mulch with weeds.
When the beds and passages are ready, you can safely exhale: now they will constantly serve faithfully in one place for several years.
Advantages of narrow beds
Some of the advantages of organic narrow beds overlap with "warm beds", which is not surprising:
- a bed is made once and lasts for many years;
- no need to dig every year;
- the number of weeds and pests is sharply reduced;
- weeds are not pulled out by the roots, but are cut with a flat cutter, which is much faster and easier;
- seeds and seedlings can be planted earlier, the earth in such beds warms up faster; nine0051
- rains do not wash away the bed; due to the box, it keeps moisture inside;
- crop rotation is convenient.
But a narrow bed has its own unique advantages:
- plants in a narrow bed are equally well lit and get unlimited access to air;
- you don't need to get up on narrow beds to get to a hard-to-reach vegetable from the "middle", which means there will be no damage to the microroots that are located in the surface layer of the soil; nine0051
- it is more convenient to process a narrow bed, it is also more convenient to harvest from it - everything is in sight;
- plantings on a narrow bed are not thickened (one or two rows), so each plant is better ventilated, which reduces the incidence;
- on a narrow bed it is easier to install arches or other devices for temporary film shelter;
- With the "narrow beds - wide aisles" system, you can forget about clods of dirt from the garden: grass or mulch in the aisles will ensure cleanliness and beauty. nine0051
If you are not afraid to experiment in your garden and are open to everything new or well-forgotten old, try organic narrow beds next summer season.
We are sure you will appreciate their convenience and productivity.
We wish you success and great harvests!
How I made narrow beds and simplified my life. Personal experience. Photo — Botanichka
The hardest work on the "garden field" is the arrangement of the site, breaking it into beds, their autumn digging. Loosening, planting, caring for and even watering (although these are also difficult jobs for older people) are less frightening for gardeners, because these works are more extended in time, and can give at least a short respite in the warm season. How to organize a summer cottage so that it remains attractive, the garden is clean, and care work is reduced? I advise you to make narrow beds. In this article I will tell you how narrow beds save summer residents from a lot of labor, and I will share my experience in creating them. nine0003 How I made narrow beds and simplified my life. © SILive
Why a large garden is not yet a big harvest
Years of experience in gardening has shown that the amount of quality harvest is not ensured by a large area.
In a small area, more thorough care is possible for plants, which means that the harvest from the bush and from the area as a whole will be the largest and with the best quality of fruits. It takes 2-3 times less time and effort to care for a crop in a small area.
Multi-field crop rotation (8-12 crops) with large areas of beds in old age - backbreaking work. I am 77 years old and have been using the narrow bed method in my garden for the last 15 years. Very convenient and does not require money and excessive physical effort.
An easy way to create narrow beds
To change your traditional vegetable garden to a more progressive one, you first need to measure the total area of the plot. Level the area allotted for the garden, and divide it into narrow beds with wide paths. The width of the beds should be no more than 40-50 cm. Wide paths must be left between the beds - 80-120 cm. The length of the beds is arbitrary and depends on the desire of the owner. The beds are best directed from north to south.
This arrangement will lengthen the illumination of plants in the beds. All grass and the remains of garden plants (not affected by diseases) are dumped onto the paths. nine0003
Narrow ridges and paths can be swapped after 2-4 years. In the middle of a wide path, select a narrow bed, and form wide paths from the worked-out beds and side parts of the paths. Over the years, a sufficient layer of semi-decomposed mulch will accumulate on them from weeds, tops and stems of garden plants.
New narrow beds 8-10 cm deep are loosened with hoes. During the winter, the soil swells, becomes airy, loosening is repeated in the spring. No digging needed. If not all the work (for various reasons) was completed in a timely manner, and the weeds rose on the beds and paths, they are mowed down and left to rot. nine0003
You can not move narrow beds from place to place, and then sow wide paths with lawn grass: bentgrass, bluegrass and other grasses that are resistant to trampling. They suppress ordinary weeds, beds are obtained in a green dress of lawn grasses.
Some owners cover the paths with old sheets of plywood, roofing felt, to reduce their overgrowth with weeds, and it was more convenient to work in the garden. In this case, the harvested weeds are left in the aisles in the garden.
If you have time and energy, you can enclose the beds and raise them above the ground. But these works require time and materials. In addition, on free land without any fences, plants develop better. nine0003 Narrow beds can be sown with green manure for certain crops in autumn. © oldworldgardenfarms
Why are narrow beds good?
Plants in this bed have free access from both sides. It is easy to process, loosen, plant. You can perform these works sitting on a bench along the bed or move across when planting large planting material (potatoes, onions, zucchini, peas, etc.)
Only one strict condition: you must not step on the bed so as not to compact the soil. All work is carried out from wide paths between the beds. On wide paths, all ancillary work is performed using containers, carts, auxiliary equipment, without touching the garden.
nine0003
Crops are planted in the garden in 2-3 rows, except for small seeds (black onion, dill, radish, lettuce, etc.). On narrow beds, the aisles are left minimally narrow. With such a planting, the growing aerial part of garden plants will quickly close the empty soil.
For example, on narrow beds, row spacing for early tomatoes is 35x35 cm, and for tall, large bush tomatoes - 40x40 and no more than 50x50 cm, for carrots - 5x5 cm. Cucumber row spacing does not exceed 20x20 cm. Weeds will die under the green mass of growing crops, and frequent loosening will not be needed to kill weeds. In addition, 20-25 times less moisture evaporates through the leaf surface of plants than from the open soil surface. nine0003
In winter, there is enough time to think about the crop rotation (crop rotation) of your garden. The basic rule is that in the garden, a change of crops should go on throughout the warm season. For example: if large crops are not needed, you can break the garden into 2-3 parts.
On one, sow radishes of several ripening periods, and on the second - spinach or salads, then - onions as an annual crop.
Radishes will occupy their part of the garden for no more than 1-1.5 months. After harvesting it, you can plant seedlings of early cabbage, early tomatoes, and 40-day potatoes. After harvesting the salads, the second half of the garden can be occupied with medium or medium-early tomatoes, green (dill, celery, parsley, basil), spring garlic. nine0003
Read more about crop rotation in the material "Five ways of crop rotation for a summer cottage."
If it is planned to plant seedlings of medium and late dates, white cabbage in the garden, then it is necessary to sow this bed with green manure in the fall or spring so that it does not become empty, becoming a testing ground for weeds (see the articles “What green manure to sow in autumn”, “ What green manure to sow in the spring"). By the time the seedlings are planted, green manure is mowed down and used as mulch for crops.
All crop care can be done slowly, better - on a bench adapted for this. nine0003 If you have time and energy, you can fence the beds and raise them above the ground. © Garden Inspiration
Caring for crops in narrow beds
Loosening
Sitting on a bench, it is easy to reach a row of plants in the garden from one side and the other, loosen the soil, destroy weeds. It is better to leave the weeds in the aisles of the crop, but if there are still a lot of them, and they have grown (this happens in the first years), then the weeds being destroyed are dumped onto the path. A layer of weeds will spring underfoot, which will reduce the load on the soil. She won't tread so hard. Weeds will rot, form humus, which will be very useful in the future. If the weeds have risen on the paths, they are easy to destroy by surface loosening. nine0003
Mulching
Narrow beds are easy to mulch. As mulch, the same weeds are used (they are laid in row-spacings), straw, sawdust (except for conifers) and wood shavings, green mass of mowed green manure.
Through a 7-10 cm layer of mulch (not less, otherwise the mulch does not work), weeds do not germinate, they die, as do some pests, including the Colorado potato beetle (the number of treatments against it is reduced). In addition, green manure with their root system will loosen the soil, it will not need to be dug up and at the same time they will serve as green fertilizer for the main crop. nine0003
Permanent occupation of the site will not require large expenditures for constant weed control. Mulching will prevent vegetable crops close to the ground from soil contamination (tomatoes, zucchini, strawberries, etc.) and fungal infections (phytophthora, rot). When rotting, the mulch replenishes the soil with organic matter, which will increase soil fertility and improve its structure.
If the area is heavily weeded, then some of the weeds can be removed before the start of spring work without much effort. You just need to provoke their faster germination. In the spring, peat, ash, humus are scattered over the snow in the garden and covered with a transparent film.
The rays of the sun are attracted by the dark surface, the ground under the film warms up faster and the weeds begin to sprout. After 1.5-2.0 weeks, the soil on the beds and paths is loosened, destroying the weeds. nine0003
If late crops are planned to be planted in the garden, the provocation method is repeated. Just bare soil is once again pushed by surface loosening (digging of the soil is not needed).
Narrow beds, especially strawberries or under perennials, can be conveniently mulched with a light-tight but moisture-permeable covering material.
If the weeds were not removed from the paths in a timely manner, they are cut off at the root and used for mulching garden crops in the beds.
Drip irrigation is easy to set up in narrow beds. © Wild Gourd FarmWatering plants
With sufficient May rains and abundant timely mulching of the soil, it is possible to reduce the part of watering by increasing the interval between watering. Moisture is well retained under mulch, preventing the soil from forming a dry crust, which often harms delicate plant stems.
