.Can I create a raised bed over wall foundations?
I have recently moved to a house with a bit of an unkempt garden, but which has a lovely big wall down one side. I want to dig a bed next to the wall and grow climbing plants up it. However, on further investigation it turns out that about 8 inches down you hit the wall foundation, which goes quite far out. From reading around I understand that you need more like 18 inches for most climbers. I'd rather avoid a raised bed if I can because it sounds like quite they need a lot more maintenance, but maybe that's the only option. I would be interested to hear your thoughts. I should mention that I am a complete novice gardener but very keen to learn .
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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Hi and welcome to the Forum! So you are in the UK? ("bit of an unkempt" and "lovely big wall" sounds like British phraseology to me 
)
Is your wall concrete? stone? Makes a difference because concrete would be likely to affect the pH of the soil near it. Also concrete wall might be more affected by raising the soil level next to it.
How tall is the wall? This makes a difference for how much shade your climbers will be in. What direction does it face/ what is its sun exposure?
Whether you can grow vines in 8" of soil depends on what you plan to grow, which depends in part on how much sun the area there gets.
So you want a vine that will climb the wall by itself, I.e. has suckers? Many vines climb by tendrils, so they can't climb a solid wall and you would have to give them some trellis in front of the wall.
If you can answer some of these questions, we can help you figure out what kind of vine you can grow there and how much soil it would need. Just in general annual vines (that are done at the end of the season and have to be replanted every spring) are more likely to not mind 8" of soil than perennial ones (that keep on growing and getting bigger year after year). But you are probably thinking of perennial vines?
)Is your wall concrete? stone? Makes a difference because concrete would be likely to affect the pH of the soil near it. Also concrete wall might be more affected by raising the soil level next to it.
How tall is the wall? This makes a difference for how much shade your climbers will be in. What direction does it face/ what is its sun exposure?
Whether you can grow vines in 8" of soil depends on what you plan to grow, which depends in part on how much sun the area there gets.
So you want a vine that will climb the wall by itself, I.e. has suckers? Many vines climb by tendrils, so they can't climb a solid wall and you would have to give them some trellis in front of the wall.
If you can answer some of these questions, we can help you figure out what kind of vine you can grow there and how much soil it would need.
Just in general annual vines (that are done at the end of the season and have to be replanted every spring) are more likely to not mind 8" of soil than perennial ones (that keep on growing and getting bigger year after year). But you are probably thinking of perennial vines?Hello Rainbowgardener! Yes, I am in the UK - so funny that you can tell where I am from by the phrasing.
The wall is mostly made up of red bricks, but we think the foundations might be concrete. It's quite big - at least 7 feet tall. The wall faces south west, so gets quite a lot of sun.
I was thinking of planting things like clematis, honeysuckle and passion flowers, with maybe some roses, to climb up the wall. I suppose my plan was to use a trellis (or several) - I hadn't really thought about suckers!
Given that I am new to all of this I am trying to keep things simple and go for perennials, but maybe if that's not possible then annuals might be the way to go.
Thanks again for your reply. The internet is a wonderful thing!
Liz
The wall is mostly made up of red bricks, but we think the foundations might be concrete. It's quite big - at least 7 feet tall. The wall faces south west, so gets quite a lot of sun.
I was thinking of planting things like clematis, honeysuckle and passion flowers, with maybe some roses, to climb up the wall. I suppose my plan was to use a trellis (or several) - I hadn't really thought about suckers!
Given that I am new to all of this I am trying to keep things simple and go for perennials, but maybe if that's not possible then annuals might be the way to go.
Thanks again for your reply. The internet is a wonderful thing!
Liz