20m long raised border

I’m having to have these trees taken out, and the stumps ground. I’m looking to replace them with some more suitable planting a screening in due course.

First, I need to improve the soil, and I’m also keen, as part of this work, to raise the soil level. I’m thinking a raised border between 0.5m and 1m.

The fence line is 20m long. I’m currently thinking scaffolding planks at the back, against the fence and railway sleepers at the side and front. This will then be filled with quality topsoil and compost to replace some of the nutrients before replanting.

Does that sound achievable? Are the suggested materials the most suitable? I’m fairly handy, but haven’t ever completed a raised bed / landscaping of this scale before.

Many thanks in advance, Chris

 

All I would say is scaffolding boards wont last many years in contact with the soil.

What exactly are you thinking of planting, trees, shrubs, just something to hide the fence?
Is that your fence, why do you want a raised border.

If you need a raised border then the fence really needed concrete gravel boards up to and above the height of your border.
You could put them now I guess with the sleepers to the front.

 

Thanks Pete. Would scaffolding boards be ok if they have a waterproof membrane between them and the soil?

The fence is 3m high, and the other side of the fence is a raised railway line. The trees are in poor condition and way too tall, so need removing. I want to replace them with something (a mixed native hedge perhaps) that will grow approximately 1.5 meters higher than the fence, to provide some additional screening.

My thinking was that a raised bed would help with the planting

 

If you want a mixed hedge I'd not bother with the raised bed, once the stumps are ground out you can improve the soils and plant your hedge.
The raised bed sounds a bit like a complication that is not needed.

 

I agree with @pete, I wouldn't bother with a raised bed. Once the trees have been dealt with the dig in a load of compost and manure, ask your local riding stables or farmer for rotted manure. Then plant a hedge of your choice.

 

Raised beds need regular watering as they are very free draining so not really suitable for hedging as @pete says.

Also think it would look rather odd having a hedge 0.5 or 1 mtr above the lawn, not to mention looking at scaffolding boards ??

Many hedging plants to choose from and not that expensive when bought in bulk if you shop around, Laurel and Red Robin will keep most of their leave all year round.
You can let then grow naturally and cover the fence or as Pleached as below.

 

Thanks very much everyone - really grateful for the advice.

I was probably swayed more to increasing the height of the border to try and get a quick fix, with the hedging getting to the right height quicker. (The loss of the trees is going to be a major blow as it will massively effect our privacy from the railway).

But I can see why it is better to be patient, improve the soil as you’ve suggested, get planting and wait!

 

One of the few nice things about rail travel is being able to catch a fleeting glimpse of back gardens that you wouldn't otherwise see .

But the reality is you don't really see that much from the train, you're past before anything really registers (unless the train happens to break down or something). If you do something very out of the ordinary like naked gardening people might notice, but it's pretty hard to know the address from the train view so you'd most likely not get found out!

 

This seems to be a sort of duplicate thread. Some of us have on the original one @Chris87 .
A lot depends on location because the climate is a big factor. I think I'd already mentioned that. I don't think you've said where you are.
A raised bed in one of these drought ridden areas is very different from one in the north, and northwest where it's generally wetter/cloudier, and beds don't dry out to the same depth -if they dry out at all, assuming they have a good soil based mix in them. The aspect of the fence is also a factor, because the direction of any wind/rain makes a difference to the dryness/dampness of a bed.

 

Thanks @fairygirl - and apologies for the confusion caused with two threads. Still pretty new to forums to be honest, but I see now it would have been better to keep the conversation in one place.

your post on the other thread is incredibly helpful - I’ll be digging in some rotted manure and new topsoil, and will just increase the height 15/18 inches as you’ve suggested.

I’ll get the soil and border prepped now and will look to plant a mixed hedge, having bare root stock. I think including some hornbeach and/or beech looks like a good option, so there is year round cover, and it seems to be fairly quick growing so will provide some screening fairly quickly. It also looks like it will be capable of achieving the intended height (4.5-5m) in time as well.

For completeness - I’m in south staffordshire, West Midlands and the fence is west facing, and 3m high.
Really grateful for everyone’s help!

 

Beech and Hornbeam basically have the same effect, with their foliage, as they're quite similar - but once they get to around the height you want [4 to 5 metres] they won't retain it so easily over winter. Around 10 to 12 feet [3 to 4 metres] is about the maximum for foliage retention. However, if you have other planting that's reliably evergreen it won't matter so much. Bear in mind that both of them are essentially large trees, so keep an eye on them as they grow - because they won't just stop...

West facing means the bed won't get too sunny until later on, although you'll possibly get morning sun for some of it. If/when you're getting decent rainfall, it'll largely come in that direction which is helpful, but you'll still need to ensure it's kept moist enough, especially through next year, even if your climate is a bit cooler and damper than many areas.
It's the soil mix that matters most, and soil is the best thing to have - just as they would have directly planted in the ground. I'd also fill the bed above the eventual level, as it will settle.
The extra organic matter is good for the nutrition they'd need, and also for water retention in dry spells, because hedging/woody shrubs don't need 'extra' food, the way floral plants would. If you want to feed at any point, you need something which is suited to promoting greenery rather than flowers, so a nitrogen based food is what to go for. You can make that yourself by collecting nettles, if you have any in your area, and you'd get help with that if you decide to do it. It's not hard though. The 'off the shelf' solution is seaweed, which is also suited to foliage raather than flowers. Plenty of that available - online and in GCs and DIY stores etc. The kind you dilute yourself is usually more economical, but follow instructions - more isn't always better!

 

Thank you, that’s very helpful

Perhaps I could add in some English yew or privet and even some more established pot grown holly plants as well, to help provide more of an evergreen screen.

I’ll start collecting nettles!

 

Yes - some other evergreens will help. The Yew and Holly might take a bit longer to get going, but they'd be effective once they're established and doing well. Privet is semi evergreen, so it depends on how cold and wet the winters are as to how green it stays.
The nettle feed is best done in spring, but you could probably gather some just now and make the feed. You wouldn't need it until next year though, and I don't know how well it keeps. You basically fill a standard builders' bucket with them, and fill it with water. Stick something over the top - an old tray or bit of borad or similar, and leave it for a few weeks to 'mature'. Then you can drain off the liquid. I strain it first to get as much of the plant material out - just do that into another bucket. I then use a plastic bottle cut down to make a funnel, and pour it into bottles. It's sometimes easier to pour into a watering can first. I use empty milk cartons for storing. It does stink, but it makes a good, free feed. Best kept where it won't get too hot. There are other ways of doing it, but that's the basic method.
I make comfrey feed, which is the same process, but is good for flowering plants.