I wanted to enjoy my patio area more and build immovable fixtures. So with my neighbor Sarah, we designed a garden with modular, movable parts. A sense of fun reigns supreme in the space, with a “lawn chair” covered in AstroTurf, a fire pit made from an old wheelbarrow, and the “raised bed”—a real bed frame filled with soil and planted with a “quilt” of lettuce and chives. We scored the chairs from a salvage yard and kept costs down by scrounging (a sofa from a garage sale, tables at the curb on trash night).
And you know what? It turns out I don’t even need my husband’s help to build it! The instructions couldn’t be easier:
- Take removable cushions off of the sofa. Lay AstroTurf down on the couch and cut into pieces just large enough to cover each area with a slight overlap.
- Using the staple gun, attach AstroTurf, stretching as you go for a snug fit. You don’t need to cover the bottom of the sofa but try not to leave any gaps where water might seep in.
- Cover removable cushions separately.
Super fun, right? So excited to try it!
Raised “Bed”
- Nail the 1×8s together into a rectangular frame.
- Use a spade bit or hole saw to drill a grid of at least 20 drainage holes in the plywood. Fit the frame of 1×8s onto the plywood, and secure it with screws and braces. Lower this assembly into the bed frame.
- Cover the plywood with a layer of gravel for drainage, and then with gardening mesh. Fill remainder of space with soil. Plant and enjoy.
Ingredients
For AstroTurf Couch: Used couch, AstroTurf
For Raised Bed: Four 1×8 boards, cut to fit sides of bed frame, Plywood cut to fill the bottom of the bed frame, Screws, Braces, Old metal bed frame, on metal wheels, Gravel, Gardening mesh, Soil, Seeds or plants (Shallow-rooted kinds work best, such as lettuces, salad greens, flowers, herbs, beans, or peas.)
Tools
For AstroTurf Couch: Utility knife or heavy-duty scissors, Staple gun
For Raised Bed: Hammer, Nails, Drill with spade bit or hole saw