Maroubra, NSW

A lovely lady from Maroubra wanted to grow veg in her front yard. She asked for wider capping on the front to allow it to be used to sit on whilst planting.

This 1.4m wide bed is perfect for growing lots of fresh vegetables, and the self watering sub-irrigation keeps it cool and helps the plants cope with the fierce coastal sun.

A few months later we were lucky enough to be invited back to fit a Trellis to grow cucumber up, but narrow enough to still reach around for planting.

Maroubra's hot, salt-laden coastal aspect is hard on conventional beds and pots, which dry out fast in the sun and sea breeze. A self-watering raised bed answers that by keeping its water below the root zone, so the soil stays cool and evenly moist through the fiercest part of summer.

The wide front capping doubles as a seat for planting, and a trellis lets you grow climbers without losing bed space. Kiln-dried and food-safe, the timber is built to weather the salt and sun for years. If your front yard in Maroubra or the Eastern Suburbs gets good sun, we'd love to turn it into a productive, sit-and-plant veggie bed.