The portion that is 16" deep will do better if you put about 4" of very coarse gravel on the bottom, to assist drainage. Then I'd just load up on finely shredded leaves as a topper. Alexandria has a couple free centers where you can get it yourself, or you can pay a local trucker to deliver. If you can get newspapers, makes layers by using the papers every couple inches with leaves as a filler to encourage the earthworms to come. I've used leaves/newspapers as a deep filler and find that most of it will be rich soil in a year. Because Alex's shredded leaves seem to be a bit limey to me, I'd plant annuals this year, each in a hole filled with general potting soil. By this fall, you can plant perennials or shrubbery or whatever directly into the leaf compost.

Thanks, this sounds great!-I was thinking the same thing, putting a stacked stone border around my beds, but I have alot of stuff already in the beds-would it be easier to raise the beds gradually, by adding compost, or should I pull out all the plantings, add additional soil, & replant? They're about 3-5' deep, around the perimeter of the house. I have some compost now, & will have LOTS of shredded leaves in the fall...

Meldy-
Thanks for the suggestions. So, you think I'd be fine going without using any actual "dirt" as a fill? I had assumed if I used only leaf mulch/compost it would just shrink down too much. I see your point about the drainage, especially for the really deep sections. I was actually going to use those spots as a final resting place for some old stone pavers and edgers I have behind my shed. I guess the same concept as the coarse gravel if I break them up enough, right? How deep do you think I can go with the mulch.

The idea of layering in newspaper is great - it's the ultimate in recycling!

As for plantings, we get total exposure from about 2pm until sunset, so we've never had luck with any annuals (but we've only been here 2 years). I swear, we could water 3 x day and it wouldn't be enough. So, any ideas on landscaping nwo or down the road would be SO appreciated...

Yes, the leaves will sink down, so you should really heap up the first load; dampen them as they put down and walk across them to pack down, as the leaves are spread. Afterwards, you add more leaves as a mulch every year, so it will pretty much maintain depth. I found about 15-25% shrinkage which is considerably less than for lasagna-style, maybe because of being packed down??

Sure, broken pavers (2"-3") will do for drainage, but if some are in good shape, think about setting them at the top edge every few feet to have a place to sit. You may need to get some gravel as well, it takes a surprising amount to fill 4"x48".

Consider laying soaker hose as part of the finish work. Attached to a repeating timer, it can do the watering for you. You should find that a bed with organic compost is better at managing water than plain dirt.

That is actually a reasonable amount of light, a good many annuals and soft perennials would be happy with it, as well as many of the 'shade' lovers. With that light, I'd be tempted to get involved with fibrous begonias. No, no I mustn't think about that, it's YOUR bed.

Thisle ~ you'd be better off posting a separate thread. Just which plants are in the bed will matter (along with how much time and energy you have). Most shrubby types will do fine if you pile the leaves to about 4", but those perennials with soft crowns will be happier to be lifted and re-planted this fall so that their crown can stay near ground level. I practice a mild form of lasagna around my perennials, giving them a couple inches of shredded leaves in the fall, then in the spring I top that with a layer of paper and another inch or two of the leaves. By doing this every year, the bottom consistently gradually turns into compost while the top [fresh layer] acts as a weed barrier.

I just called the city, and their next available delivery is the 20th. $40 for a delivery of 6 yards is pretty reasonable, I'd say. Even if I end up needing 2 loads (given how much it might shrink), I bet it's cheaper than getting topsoil delivered.

The pavers are really shot and mismatched, so I'd rather just bust them all up. Now if I could break up the old cement block the previous owner left that would be even better!

Soaker hose is a good idea...recommended depth? Do I zig-zag it, or just run it down the middle? One potential problem is that my hose bib is only on one side of the porch, so I'd need to run a line over to the other side.

Given your insight, I'd be happy to let it be YOUR bed! (I assume you're local). When the time comes for us to start looking for plantings, I'll be sure to post here again.

I think that's a good price; I paid $50 for the last load I got -- that was either 6 or 8 yds.

Soaker hose comes in different sizes, with differing flow rates. You have to guesstimate a bit, because some plants have a greater demand for water, or some areas will be in more sun and thus dry a little quicker. Start with considering what plants you have: hosta and ferns will be thrilled with lots of water, while phlox does nicely on slightly less than average, and others may like lots of water but only if it drains rapidly. A rich organic soil will act similar to a sponge in holding water when there is a lot and releasing it gradually, so that is a big help as you learn what your plants like. It also means you will use less water than average.

Look at Lee Valley.com for good info on watering systems (ah, and hide your wallet! They have all kinds of goodies!). At least they write so the various forms of irrigation is comprehendable. My last catalog listed a 1/4" soaker hose, but I didn't see it on-line yet. Unless you go to the expense (and convenience) of shrubbler, I would think that 1/4" would be a good choice. Put it on top of the soil but under an inch of mulch, until you are comfortable with it's location.

Hi,
I am in Alexandria, VA. area and was wondering if county provided leaf mulch  usually free  to pick up or deliver for around $40.00 can be used as top soil in front lawn? I have an existing lawn and was going to aerate it. Should I go ahead and spread some of this county provided leaf mulch on top of the lawn as top soil?
Thanks,