Fairy Meadow, NSW

A gentleman in Fairy Meadow wanted a wicking garden bed with a matching kitty litter tray — a first for us, and a good reminder that these beds can be genuinely made to order. We built the pair to match, with the tall bed making the most of a sunny spot in his back yard where it should really thrive.

At 0.85m high, this is one of our tallest beds, which keeps gardening comfortable with no bending and lifts the growing space up into the best of the light. Underneath, the wicking reservoir does the watering: it stores water in the base and the plants draw it up as they need it, so the bed stays evenly moist through the Illawarra's warm, humid summers without a daily hose.

Sitting just north of Wollongong between the escarpment and the sea, Fairy Meadow enjoys a mild coastal climate that's kind to a wide range of crops, so this bed should carry tomatoes, beans, leafy greens and herbs comfortably across the seasons. The height also makes it a tidy, self-contained feature rather than a patch of dug-up lawn.

We build every bed from kiln-dried, vegetable-grade timber with a food-safe finish, so it holds its looks and its strength for years rather than greying off like cheap pine. If you're in Fairy Meadow, Corrimal or anywhere along the northern Illawarra and want a raised bed built around your space — custom touches and all — we'd be happy to help you design it.