Complete novice. Raised beds.

[SmurfetteBlue]

i am a complete gardening novice. Just started maternity leave (can't sleep hence the time of this post) and have recently had the garden landscaped with raised beds added so looking for something to keep me occupied until the impending arrival of a squishy newborn. What plants could I put in there that are evergreen/hardy (won't die from my lack of knowledge) 😬 any help would be very much appreciated

@SmurfetteBlue watching with interest!

I am equally clueless.

Are they beds for food planting (very sensible given increased food instability) are they simply for aesthetic reasons, are they border beds or right in the middle of the space?

Echoing @haufbiskiy ‘s questions, and also: what growing medium did you put in there, and how long ago were they filled? Be aware that fresh soil/compost will compact for several months after being put in. If you start planting too soon, you run the risk of having to dig up everything to add more soil on top. <speaks from bitter experience >

There are apps now that can help - I’d love to know how DM can have beautifully planted boarders - mainly from cuttings - where mine looks like a wilderness!!

Read about pollinator gardens.

Shop carefully to ensure any plants you purchase weren’t raised saturated in pesticides.

perennials will be more practical than annuals.

I have raised beds down 2 sides on my garden & quite like tall plants in there, alliums, that are from bulbs, verbena bonariensis. One bed is quite shady that has some large ferns, campanula & Crocosmia. Then just some lavender, lots of tulip bulbs.

Rosemary is evergreen and can be planted as a shrub.

They're just for aesthetic reasons. The beds have been filled with soil for a couple of weeks so has had some time to settle. I've not wanted to rush buying plants as I want to get the right type

Thanks for the suggestions!

I’m afraid a few weeks is not enough for soil to settle. The soil level will likely go down by 15-30cm in the first year, as air pockets disappear and the soil becomes more moist. I would really recommend you wait before planting, or only plant things that will be easy to dig up and replant next year. I made the mistake of planting mine too soon with trees and lots of perennials and bulbs, and now my bed looks silly with the soil level 8 inches below the top of the bed. I keep topping up with mulch etc, but it’s not making much of a difference. Really I should bite the bullet, dig up and replant.

How about herbs? Easy to grow and care for, you can use them in cooking, and in years to come it won't matter if your dc decides to eat fistfuls of it when you aren't looking!