Cronulla, NSW

A couple in a ground floor unit in Cronulla were keen to grow vegetables in their back yard. The trellis on the south side of the bed makes most use of the sun without shading out other vegetables.

Ground-floor units and townhouses are common in Cronulla, and a self-watering raised bed suits them well: fully lined so there is no runoff onto shared paving, and watered from below so it copes with the drying coastal air. Placing the trellis thoughtfully, as we did here, lets you grow upwards and make the most of a small footprint.

Climbing crops like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and snow peas thrive on a trellis like this, turning a modest Cronulla courtyard into a productive vegetable garden bed. Built from durable, food-safe timber, it is made to last in a seaside setting. UrbanVeg builds raised garden beds and self-watering planter boxes across Cronulla and the Sutherland Shire.