Whatever you do, you need to ensure you mix your new soil in with the native soil so there is no perched water table and you get drainage.

Personally, I think rock sides would be fun and interesting, but I like whimsy and interest in the garden and square, straight lines bore me; as long as you have places to sit/place things/put your feet down you're good. And in my mind a 4x10 gives you more and better soil, and the larger the raised portion, the more heat potential available.

Welcome and happy SFG-ing.

Dan

Thanks, Dan. Do you mean till the space (to break up the layers of cardboard, etc.) and mix native soil with Mel's mix? Or do you mean I can mix native soil with Mel's mix and throw on top of the lasagna garden? Sorry I'm not better versed in soil/garden-speak.

editornj, like Dan said...go with what pleases you. I'm turning four of my 4x4 boxes into one long 4'x 22' box this year. By eliminating the 2' paths between them, I gain another 24 sf of planting area. Most of my boxes are made of used lumber from an old deck, so it's possible they will rot out early. I'm not going to worry about it...gardens grow without boxes around them, and rocks or blocks or whatever work just as well as wood. Personally, I think I'd love big rocks with a few plants that cascade and tumble down over the sides. I have rock walls around my Arizona cactus gardens, and they were quite easy to build.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I think the most important part about planning a garden is to make sure that you can reach into the middle of your garden without stepping or leaning on the growing soil. I make my beds only 3 ft wide, much easier reach for me. I don't worry much about the length, just what fits where. I need to have a fence around my veggies to keep my cat (Spot), rabbits and other creatures out, so I have beds around edges that are only 18 inches wide (because they will only be reached from 1 side) and the whole length of the garden.

good gardening, Mary

Thanks you. Good ideas.

Any other thoughts on drainage? A perched water table scares me...

Do you have a high water table or are you worried you may? I would mix peat and vermiculite into your cooked lasagna bed assuming you want Mel's mix. Use what you've got as the compost.

Size is up to you. I agree with what's been said.

I put my beds on 3 inches of gravel to help drainage. It hasn't been a problem. I don't think that would work for you with your bed in place.

Good luck and enjoy the process!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

Something like 100% Mel's mix on top of 100% native means poor drainage, as the interface between the two means no drainage until the Mel's mix is saturated. So, put down 4-6" of Mel's mix, turn under, then fill up the rest of the bed.

Dan

I think the best size is the one that works for you. Last year I planted 2 4'x 10' beds. I didn't use Mel's mix, I used more of a lasagna-type filling.

If you would like more details and photos of what I did, check out the link below.
Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener