Nothing like putting in new outbuildings so you can plant more roses eh? LOL!

Are you making it a straight rectangular bed? If you bump it out in the front and make it more rounded you can probably fit more in it lol. Like straight on the back and sides then bumped out to more round in the front.

I just did two figure 8 beds but a little fatter in the middle than an 8. I can get to everything pretty good from the figure 8 bed.

When people do raised vegetable beds they do 8ftL by 4 ftW so they can reach across width wise 2 ft on each side to weed everything.

~Sjn

Judith,

Do you want a bed one rose bush wide?

Your 4' wide rose bed plan is to plant the rose bushs' centers 2' out from the shed wall, as you have preliminarily proposed, and to have a 2' space at the bed's back, that the roses' canes will extend into, along the shed wall to have an access pathway to the bed's back, right?

Moses

Wish I could draw this out for you - then I could explain more. Like the movie - "its complicated"! I cross a raised bridge coming into what was formerly my pot ghetto - which it will still be on the right. The garden shed [being built like the one I have drooled over for quite a while] will be facing the bridge with a short path from bridge to shed. To the left is an area that is, I am roughly guessing, 10-20' wide, 10-15' long. Going under the bridge are huge hunks of concrete I had put there when Tx DOT tore up my driveway - water runs over these when it rains. This 10x4/5' area for the rose bed will be for the ones from Heirloom, D. Austin, etc. that I want to baby and that will be sort of a loosely formal bed. I like the idea, sultry, of rounding it at the ends! 2 more roses!! I will be able to get to it from both sides so plan to have 2 rows of roses. My contractor is great with stone so I am going to have him build the bed so it will look professional. Going to have a little arbor coming off the left side of it, small rocks for a surface, pretty benches, Kathleen and Blush Noisette and star jasmine climbing up it. Going to put electricity to it which will run off my horse barn. Twinkle lights!! The shed itself will be 12x10 and front porch of 6'. I have found a wonderful antique screen door at my favorite place near Tyler - bought it, going to pick it up next week. We were eating dinner at restuaurant last nite, talking about doors/windows - this guy came up, apologized for interrupting, and said he works at a salvage warehouse with doors and windows! We are going next week. To right of shed, I am putting up some extra 4x4 cattle panel on 4x4 posts with wooden finial - this will sort of "cover up" my rose and daylily pot ghetto which has nursery fabric on the ground to prevent weeds. I can plant climbing roses on this. Plan to plant different old garden roses elsewhere around the yard, and some lavender crepe myrtles that came from a friend's homeplace. Sorry, got a little carried away - I have been planning this so long - then when Curtis, my contractor, built a new fence for my daughter in law and we had all this old beautiful wood - I had to get started on this! if ya'll are interested, when I draw it out, will take photo of it and post. It is messy right now - the lower frame is done so I can see what I have to work with, but Curtis had to go put on a roof so this is being delayed, which is fine so I can think on it some more. After playing around there this morning, I know exactly how I want it, but just wasn't sure how wide to make the rectangle bed. Does this information help? Oh, and my excuse is, its a playhouse for the grandchildren!

Judith

Wow talk about fantastic!!' This is so much more than a " shed "! I really hope you will share photos! I'm no help on the bed size but it all sounds wonderful

Oh you MUST post lots of photos of this new bed with twinkle lights and all. I seem to remember you had posted a photo of a type of island or something once with a bridge...am I crazy? lol. I can't remember what it was but I thought it was cool.

Here is a drawing I made after walking around and getting a feel for it. This is very rough - dimensions aren't right at all but you can get the idea. Just want to make sure I get my rose bed done right.

Sultry, you are right, I had started an island bed. It was going great, had some things planted, but my sneaky miniature horses, who had plenty to eat in the pasture, swam around the fence I had partially put around it. They ate, trampled and otherwise totally destroyed everything. Rather than put a fence across the pond, which would look unattractive, we just use it for building fires in the firepit. This project I am working on now - there is a fence around the whole thing and no horses can get in! The raised bridge is at the beginning of the stepping stone path and a beautiful white wrought iron gate is the entrance. Will intersperse old garden roses wherever there is room. Anxious to get started! Colors will be soft - pinks, peach, white with annual accents of the same soft colors with blue salvia. No reds, orange - nothing harsh. The shed will be whitewashed white, white metal roof. Gingerbread trim on front porch. Rough lumber, old fence wood inside.

Judith

Judith

Here is a picture of the shed I have loved for years and want to duplicate.

That's so cute! I love your plans. Your shed looks like a victorian dollhouse! A Dollhouse with mini princess ponies to go with it lol. What color are you going to paint it?

Ok nm I just reread and saw it will be whitewashed :)

Wow! That is beautiful and not exactly what I pictured when you said "shed"! LOL! I can't wait for your pictures.