Newbie Here: Can We Talk About Raised Bed Planters?

15 years ago

I'm a regular over on GW's Kitchens, Decorating and Organizing Forums, but this is my first time here. I could really use some ( actually a lot as this progresses!) advice and ideas, as we plan our total backyard landscape.

We live in the mountains of New Mexico, south of Santa Fe (Zone5 and at approx. 6000' elevation). Our home is a 15 y/o one-story adobe hacienda-style home on approx 3 acres of land. Same with everyone around us. Great mountain and mesa views. Backyard area is pretty much untouched with some pinon and juniper trees, yucca and dirt. LOTS of rocks and boulders inground! It faces south and west. Critter problems: rabbits, packrats, rattlers and some deer (and wild horses occasionally).

Our basic backyard plan is to have adobe-look (cement block covered w chicken wire & stucco) perimeter walls, approximately 5-6' high built. Inside these walls will be our two coverd patios at both ends of the house, connected by a covered walkway. Also planned is a kiva-type fireplace built into the back wall, possibly flanked by bancos, with shaded seating area in front of it. In addition to this area, we plan on having a raised hot tub, landscaped to look more like a raised small pond with a waterfall cascading near it into a lower pond. Built-in grill area will be on main patio off back of house.

My questionable, controversial plan . . . and this is where I need your thoughts and advice: I want to have no in-ground planting, only large, adobe/adobe-look planters.

This is for three reasons: (1) the ground here is almost totally filled with huge boulders and stones. Digging into it has always been a major nightmare. Large raised beds can be filled with good quality, water-retaining ammended soil and drip irrigation(2) We want to conserve water, while still having beautiful plants and trees. It's too dry here to drip in-ground trees and not have huge water bills.(3) easier maintenance as we age.

OK, please think: Walled Spanish Garden with lots of shade. That's our goal.

I'd like to have some planters attached to the inside of most of the perimeter walls. Where we need to block afternoon sun towards the SW, we could have the planters wider to accommodate patio trees for shade. I do realize that I'll be limited in the tree species that I can plant in these. Another option would be to pay to have larger trees planted outside the SW walls, to accomplish the same, but with more height potential, using the inside perimeter planters for bushes and perennials.

What I want to do throughout the rest of the yard is to have several large, free-standing oval or rounded planters built. I'm thinking 24-28" tall that can be used for seating also. The inside diameters would have to be at least 6'x6', although I'm looking more towards 6'x8' on a couple. Each planter would have a patio shade tree of some sort and underplanted with annuals and perennials. I've actually seen similar planters at patio restaurants along the coast highway between LA and SanFrancisco, but can't find pictures to show prospective landscape people. I also recall seeing them in Ghirardelli Square in SF, I think.

Groundcover would probably be crusher fine for the time being. Patios are already brick. Large fountain to be placed somewhere out there, too. The rest of the details are still to be worked out. I'm looking for winding paths flanked by shade trees in planters, on both sides of the yard with the fireplace seating area straight out from the main patio. The views from our back patios are incredible. I don't want to block them, but do need more shade out there.

Questions:

(1) do you see potential heat build up problems with all the hardscape/planters, even with the planned shade trees in them and, perhaps, outside the SW walls? This is one of the reasons we're thinking dirt or crusher fine for the walkways, instead of more brick.

(2) Does anyone have ANY pictures they can show me/us of this kind of backyard/patio?

(3) what extra steps can I take/request to conserve water back there?

Gosh, I realize that this is a long, detailed post and I apologize for it. But, if this forum is half as good as the Kitchen Forum, I know that I've come to the right place! Many thanks in advance.

Lynn

Here are two pics of my home. This is the walled side garden, which is already finished. We want the same type of look out back, but with taller wall and planters.

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This is the view from my main back patio:

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Comments (5)

lynninnewmexico
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, this place is slower than I'd imagined! Good time to clarify a few things, though.
~ The two patios are already in place, attached to the back of the house off the family room and MBR. We would like to make the main one somewhat larger. This one already has a wood cover over it, but we're planning on tearing it off and having a larger one built for it and for the MBR patio.
~ the kiva fireplace will be built into the new perimeter wall (yet to be built), pretty much directly across the yard from the main patio. We'd like it built high enough to be a real focal point ~ and gathering place ~ in the yard, but not so high as to block the mountain view.
~ hot tub, waterfall and pond will be placed on the west side of the yard (to your right in the bottom pic below), away from the bedrooms. The large fountain will be on the opposite side of the yard.
~ new perimeter wall will connect with small garden wall already in place (see first pic below). Eventually, all will be stuccoed the same color.
Again, thanks for any ideas, advice or pics you might have.
Lynn
javan
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What lovely views, Lynn. I don't have anything to direct toward your plans, but appreciate your detailed questions and considerations. All the best, Jim
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lynn, while your question was well thought-out, posed carefully and with a lot of detail, there's still a lot we don't know/can't see to be able to provide much specific advice. Plus, I am not the slightest bit familiar with your area to be able to suggest appropriate materials to use. But I can offer these comments :-)

I think your proposed raised planters make a certain amount of sense, given your soil and growing conditions. And if structured similar to those in the photo (but higher), will suit the architecture and the existing character of the garden. That you anticipate them to be high enough to provide additional seating is a plus. Without more photos or a plan view, it's not possible to be definite about placement, but I'd suggest you situate them carefully so they frame and guide views towards the mountains and the landscape beyond the garden walls rather than a more random placement that could obstruct views. I'd let this concept govern the final placement of the kiva fireplace as well, unless you want this focal point to dominate the outer landscape.

And if water conservation is an objective, I'd be very thoughtful about plant selection as well. I'd focus on very xeric or drought tolerant choices rather than just a profusion of color from perennials or extremely thirsty annuals. Look for trees or large shrubs that are well adapted to your climate conditions rather than just something purely ornamental to provide the needed shade. You'll find these types of plants will establish better and faster and require less water in the long run. Even in raised planters you'll need a lot of irrigation to support plants not well adapted to the restrictions of the clmate.
mohavemaria
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Lynn, love your adobe look walls in the front and your view in the back is wonderful. I'm glad you plan on preserving your view in the back and think it's great that you're thinking of water conservation.

Since you're close to Santa Fe I hope you've been to High Country Gardens/Santa Fe greenhouse. I've been buying plants mail order from them for fifteen years and I understand they have some great waterwise landscaping at thier store in Santa Fe. In this month(Sept.) issue of Sunset magazine there is a Santa Fe landscape with adobe walls and a planter against the wall like what you are talking about. It does have a lot of plants in the ground also but it is a great backyard landscape by Wilder Landscaping.

Your idea of all raised planters sounds very attractive and ambitious. I know you where conscerned about the heat situation with all that masonry. All your walls would act as a heat sink collecting the warmth during the day and then radiating it out at night. You would have cooler temperatures in the mornings from the walls and warmer temperatures at night.

About the planters using less water I can't get around this idea. Planters because they are exposed to the hot summer air on the sides as well as from overhead actually heat up the soil more than in ground plantings. This makes them use more water not less. Of course you are talking about other issues too such as ease of planting and not having to deal with your rocky soil.

Mulch is a great way to help keep soil cooler and use less water, rock mulch for more deserty type plants and organic mulch for others. And your shade trees will really cool things off for you too. If you use plants well adapted to your area you could really keep your water use down and not have to feel like you need all the planters.
pls8xx
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Welcome to the landscape forum.

A lot of what you desire seems to be heat mitigation. Hardscape and correctly selected plants aren't effected by the heat, only the people need comfort. Consider where in the landscape the people will spend time during hot conditions and start thinking oasis. Use low plants to block reflected and radiant heat from the hardscape while allowing a view over the top. Shading and heat blocks are easier on small spaces rather than large ones.

Newbie Here: Can We Talk About Raised Bed Planters?

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lynninnewmexico
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javan

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Newbie Here: Can We Talk About Raised Bed Planters?

Comments (5)

lynninnewmexicoOriginal Author

javan

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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lynninnewmexico
Original Author