Raised beds

mairi_t

I have three raised beds, each about 1.8msq. I have been using them as my veg garden, but circumstances now mean that I am away for much of the summer growing and harvesting season so I don’t think veg is practical any more. Does anyone have any good ideas for plants that would give me nice colour/interest in the other seasons, while requiring little maintenance in the summer weeks? I have a north facing garden and live in Scotland so plants that thrive in cooler climates and don’t require full sunshine would be best.

nick615

?Nasturtiums -  Don't need much maintenance, but flowers can make a useful addition to summer salads when you're home.  If irrigation isn't a problem, either naturally or via a neighbour, a covering of roofing felt as per the pic could equally produce a useful crop of onions, again without attention.

barry island

Autumn raspberries need little attention and love cool weather.

Fairygirl

Whereabouts are you - roughly @mairi_t? The east side climate is very different from the west, and north is very different from south. Gardening in Ayrshire isn't like gardening in Aboyne, and coastal is different from inland and/or at altitude 
Also - is the garden exposed or sheltered? An exposed site can mean plenty of staking, if you want taller, flimsier plants.
It would be better to have some shrubs in your beds, and have spring bulbs and some easy perennials to give colour. Foliage can also be very beneficial for colour.
If you want more permanent planting, it would also be worth adding soil, and plenty of organic matter to the beds. They'll need to have a more substantial base so that they thrive - especially shrubs.
I do very little in my garden during summer, other than general things like hedge and grass cutting, unless I want to start a project of some kind. My main jobs otherwise are deadheading, or potting on cuttings etc. 

StephenSouthwest

I've often thought that if I gave up veg gardening, I'd fill the raised bed with daffodils and nasturtiums...