Help with Raised Garden

[Stephen E. Meyer]

Hi,
Unwittingly, I put a row of pressure treated limber around one of my
gardens. I've heard that the preserving chemicals will leach into the
soil eventually. I was wondering if there was any alternative to pulling
out the lumber; ie, putting a piece od plastic between the wood and
garden soil? Comments? -steve

[Libby J. Goldstein]

You could use that bed for growing only fruiting crops: tomatoes, beans,
cucumbers and such and grow them up on a trellis.You could also plant a
dwarf fruit tree or a bush like gooseberry or currants. The arsenic that
might be taken up by the plants in the bed probably will not travel as
far as the fruits, and if you keep them up off the soil it won't get on
them either.

Libby

[Who hoo1]

A raised bed is perfect for a mix of perennials and annual flowers.
Something new in Landscape design is to mix perennials, annuals, and your
favorite herbs and vegetable crops. You can even use a grain as an
ornamental grass or speciman. The possibilities are endless with a
perennial garden. You can go with a color scheme, for example all white
perennials and annuals that bloom at different times of the year. Mix it
up with whites and greens. You could have a daisy garden with
Crisanthemums and blackeyed Susans for example. An easy way to design a
perennial garden is to decide which type of colors you want first. Then
pick a maximum and minimum height of your garden. Usually you will want
tall flowers at the back and smaller flowers at the front. Next, try to
pick perennials that flower at different times of the year so you have
color at all times of the year. Match all of the above toptogether and
watch them grow!
A
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