Jami kindly pointed me in this direction, after I had asked for information about raised bed gardens. Theresa, GeorgiaDoula, Jami mentioned that you may have pictures to share of your raised garden? I am determined to set up a garden this year, though my dh is less than enthusiastic with the idea.

Anyway, not only am I interested in setting up a raised bed garden, but I am also wanting to use next to no chemicals, seeking out economical natural fertilizers and natural predators, minus snakes. ::::shuddering:::: I skimmed through some of the topics in this forum and was intrigued with using hay bales! What an awesome idea!

I just wanted to say "hello" and let you know that I'm around. :)

I'm a newbie gardener so I can't help you on most of your questions. We did however get set up last year with all raised beds and I have lots of pics.

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/mamas-garden/346010-its-alive-its-still-alive-my-garden-saga-continues.html

Right now its a bunch of dead remains under piles and piles of oak leaves and frozen from the recent snow. Our 'soil' is more rock than dirt so that is why we decided to build up for our garden space. It is under a huge oak tree that dumped all its leaves on there in the fall- I'm hoping that isn't to horrible chemical wise because its working as a great mulch weed-wise. I'm not exactly sure what to do to get it from its current state into a usable state for spring since this year instead of nice new trucked in dirt I will be working with dead remains from last year, dead leaves and some weeds.

Welcome!
Sarah

Thank you for sharing your links. Your garden is beautiful!

i have two beds- but both are flower beds- sun perennials in the back and shade perennials in the back- there are pics on some threads here- i do not know how to add a pic to my reply- duh- julie always does it for me- sorry... email me directly and i will send you a few pics if you are interested in flowers- i do not use any pest control- great soil- mulch and water...

Thank you Teresa! I'm still developing my green thumb, so will reserve trying to grow anything outside of what's essential.

Mark said that he was going to set up long trough-like beds along the fence for beans and tomatoes. Then, once we get the broken apple tree removed, will put a couple of 4 foot by whatever length looks appealing, in that space. I'll *try* to keep it simple for our first year, but it isn't easy, being that I was raised on garden vegetables most of my childhood. My dad's family were all farmers and would never think of not having a "truck patch".