But mine looks more like this:
I haven't read the book, but I understand the process, this link on gardenweb.com shows a gardener's photos of creating a flower bed lasagna style (make sure you scroll all the way down to see all the beautiful pictures).
Successful mature beds here.
Or here.
{there was a gardener that did theirs start to finish with pictures and follow up, but I can't find it.)
Mine is not as fancy.
This is totally no dig,
first you layer cardboard (or thick newspaper) on top of grass (cut short),
over lapping well,
spread five or more inches of leaves on top,
with a thin layer of mulch (like pine needles-or just pine needles) to stop it from blowing away.
Plant your plants on top of the cardboard, tucking mulch around them.
Water well until established.
Plants will let you know when they are thirsty.
Before, I pulled up the landscape fabric (I was using until I had the materials I needed), pulled up the black berry vines that grew between the fabric, and used FREE bagged leaves and pine needles
(that I about had to pitch a fit to get-yah it rhymes-GRRRRR)
I layered (free) cardboard, overlapping well. Layered mulch thick. Then planted on top of the cardboard, surrounding each plant well with mulch. Already looking better! Had to wait for more mulch (GGGGGRRRRR)
You can see the back of this corner by the front deck shows a bed I made last spring when we moved in.
I layered cardboard, then grass clippings, and after the clippings cooled off, I planted these plants directly ON the cardboard, tucking in the mulch around them. (they are back in the corner-castor bean and moonplant that got huge that season)
The bed is all extended, and all ready for next season:)...
These show the corner done, and left and right waiting to finish (pretty muchly just the plant line up)
Tomorrow you'll see it all done and planted.
I did this at a house we had before, and within three months the cardboard was already breaking down, and the plants were thriving! At first they do need water, and you can't sow seeds in the mulch, but sowing in a pile of dirt works great while waiting for the cardboard to break down. If you have clay waiting for it to break down more might work better (the author recommends you wait a season before planting).
Cardboard=free,
Leaves/Pine needles=free,
Easy and Free???
Happy Happy Me!
Tomorrow starts the plant line up...
This is for:
11th Heavens Homemaking Haven for Home Maker Monday
Everyday Elegance for My Favorite Things Monday
AND
As for Me and My House for Making A Happy Home Monday
