Advice on raised beds please

I’d like to add a raised bed to my front garden just for cut flowers. It will sit on the lawn in a sunny spot. I’d like enough plants to be able to cut a fresh vase full once a week through summer. I’ll be growing zinnia, cosmos, Love in the Mist and statice. How big a bed do you think I’d need? What would be the best material to use and what soil should I fill it with? I’m in South Devon with heavy clay soil so don’t think I could use that? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

Hello @Plumdodo , how much space do you have got?
I like the 1 meter wide beds which allow me to take care of from all sides.
If you have clay soil left, then you could mix 1/3 clay soil with 1/3 compost and 1/3 topsoil. It will be hard to get it mixed but once the structure of the clay is broken, it will be easier from then on.
That’s how I have done it.

 

Great, thank you. I could probably manage 1m by 2m, do you think that would be long enough? It’s just a battle with my husband over space!

 

The pictures below are taken at a farm shop in Cirencester where they have a garden space just for cut flowers. Each plant group has got a space of 1x1 meter in the soil.
With just 1 bundle a week in your house, you might count it down and especially, it depends how many varieties you want to have. Some take more space than others.
I would definitely prefer a flower garden as front garden than boring lawn

 

Oh my goodness, they are stunning. If I could achieve only a small fraction of that I would be very happy. Thank you.

 

The advice given by @simone_in_wiltshire re the size and planting medium is ideal. Have you considered including some Spring and Autumn flowering bulbs as well to give interest for much of the year ?

 

No, I hadn't thought about that, fantastic idea, thank you.