Raised Gardens: Stake Your Claim

While your friends scramble to grab the next hot property, the only property you're interested in is your raised garden. But with an entire backyard to play with, how do you stake out your territory? Sorry, but computer simulations won't help in garden planning--time to get out the drafting paper or a sketch pad.

For example, HGTV's "Seasoned Gardener" Chris Dawson mapped out an L-shaped garden on paper and marked off the perimeter, where the landscape edging will go, with measuring tape and stakes. Dawson built a raised garden from scratch, but measuring tape is important in raised garden bed design that involves a kit. The perimeter of your landscape edging will determine how much soil you use, how evenly your plants will be spaced and where the sun or shade will fall.

If you mark off the perimeter and garden edging of, say, rectangular beds along a north-south line, you'll be all set for preferred sun exposure. Talk about a hot property--not too hot though! Also, if you outline the bed, you can make adjustments in the garden landscape edging in case you have any thick roots or barriers, or unexpected shade in the afternoons.

So let your friends scramble for that Ventura County townhouse. You're sticking to your garden, thank you--and an attractive garden just might make your house a hot property.