Raised beds have similar advantages to containers, but they are a more permanent feature of the garden. A four-square garden is ideal for older children who are more serious about gardening. Build a raised bed with untreated wooden boards and fill with compost and soil. Hammer a small nail at the halfway point on the top surface of each board, then stretch a string from top to bottom and side to side to divide the bed into four equal quarters (geometry skills used here!). Now each quarter can be planted with a different vegetable, flower or herb. It’s fun to choose plants with contrasting foliage or different colour flowers for each square to create a patchwork quilt effect.
