Bronte, NSW

A gentleman in Bronte needed two beds with sturdy framing so he could wrap them in chicken wire and keep out some determined local pests. The generous span called for a solid frame — which suits us, since our beds are built to last — and the result is a robust, netted garden that stands up to both the wildlife and the weather.

Bronte's exposed, breezy coastal position is hard on flimsy beds and pots, so a heavy, well-built raised bed is the right answer here, and framing it for netting lets the family protect their crops from possums and birds without giving up the easy growing underneath. Each bed is a wicking bed, holding its water in a reservoir in the base and drawing it up to the roots, so the soil stays cool and evenly moist through the salty Eastern Suburbs summers with very little watering.

Raising the beds also lifts the veggies into better light on a tight seaside block and keeps them clear of sandy, fast-draining ground. Behind the netting there's room for a full rotation of vegetables and herbs, safe from the pests that usually make coastal growing a battle.

We use kiln-dried, vegetable-grade timber with a food-safe finish, built to shrug off years of sun and sea air without rotting. If you're in Bronte, Clovelly or elsewhere in the Eastern Suburbs and want a strong, pest-proof, self-watering garden, we'd be glad to help you plan it.