Ferdinand

You need to work outhow you want to handle the limited company ... eg as a Ltd company you would be able to recover VAT during the build. It may be the way is to increase your own mortgage and put that in the CO as a Directors load or capital. Suggest taking advice from a specialist accountant.

Continuing to gnaw at this, I think that what it needs for effective propagation / harvesting is likely to be seed trays, hung off the wall or mounted at perhaps 25 degrees for better light, rather than the felt pockets. I'm reminded of the selection of picking trays that used to be used by operatives stuffing circuit boards in electronics factories. One hazard is getting bits of compost in your salad when harvesting - so that may say something about tuning the depth of each tray. It could be a case of angled staging, or some other system. Angled shoe rack? Retail display unit? Retail grid display of the type i use for kitchen utensils? Unfortunately peat based compost seems better, and Selwyn Gummer has just thrown his toys about amateur use of peat based compost in a fit of symbolic virtue-signalling. Processing .... processing ... 1m wide 1.5m high 350mm deep takes 5kg per layer £36. Suspect that it would need something a bit more industrial.

Very useful thread of different forum, especially the bbig post in the middle: https://www.thegreenlivingforum.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=112241&start=0

I went on the winter garden walk at Hardwick today, and it was lovely reminiscing with the gardener about the previous gardener who had been there in the late 1970s when my sister used to go along at the age of about 11 and ask about the herb garden she created at our childhood house. I can still remember her doing candied borridge flowers ... once ! They have competely redone it 2-3 times since. The list of herbs suggested for a herb wall was quite limited - as most herbs are either small perennial bushes or what the gardener termed "sub-shrubs" (new word on me). These were some of the suggestions - generally said the selection we have discussed on this thread is a good placed to start: Thyme - especially creeping thyme. Salsify (more suited for @AnonymousBosch's winter garden as it probably wants to be in a tub or raised bed) -- has edible roots and leaves. Fennel and Jerusalem Artichokes - but to be treated like salsify I think. Spring onions Chives Coriander Parsley Sorrel / lemon sorrel Beet for the leaves (ie beetroot) Radiccio or other types of chicory (had not though of that) Particularly edible flowers - nasturtiums, marigold / calendula, edible violets and a couple of others. Apparently these are fashionable, so I will need to grow a goaty or sparse neckbeard to be allowed to use them ? . Borage mentioned as edible flowers, but I suspect those require a container as it is a bush. I'm also aware that chamomile would work well, but I do not know of uses other than tea or lawns, and I prefer normal tea. I'm badly missing something with Italian type flavour. Also micro-veg suggested. Things like pea shoots - needs some thought. Reminds me of how students sow mustard and cress on their colleagues' bathmats in the holidays (not my students). I might try treetop onions (small strongly flavoured onions grow at the top of the plant not the root), but they may be a bit rampant. A few others I need to thinks about (from here? Micro chervil, whatever that is. Micro kohlrabi Chard (?!) Pea Shoots Red Mizuna Micro tarragon Micro watercress. I like watercress (but I prefer gin). Scallions. Arigula. Fenugreek Question: Are there any spices that can grow the same way? Ferdinand

How different are those from current building regs?

(Slight diversion)

Welcome. I am just over the border in Notts. 450mm deep topsoil? How much will you need? ?

YWorth a note that oil prices are on a steep downward trend while China is partially closed down, which may help in the short term as it is affecting heating oil too. If you are planning to stock up... Were there not news reports at the W/e of the Saudis having kittens?

IME rats will go under stone. To stop rats round here takes a concrete slab, especially if there is a potential food source.

Scaffold Planks might do it. 3m ones would go across the width and give some space for adjustment. And you might actually be able to ore level those by moving your gravel around. Another possibility could be 8ft concrete fence posts, which would fit exactly ... but prob too tight time wise now. Some people use these for sheds. Pesronally I might even use the screw adjustable heavy duty patio feet from Wallbarn, which cost minimal amounts .. but you definitely won’t get those.

The only downside I can see with those apart from the complexity of app control is that it needs a separate backdraft shutter in the system. Looking good.

Personally I would look more at breezeblocks.

can you elaborate 9n the Vext Axia issue? I have a lot of these installed.

That's nearly 5k worth of topsoil at retail and delivered prices...

Since my herb wall is likely to be entirely in 4” or similar plantpots, regularly renewed, horseradish will probably not be present. Or turnip !

That may be true, but you still need to reckon with cooking. in extremis, you could fit one of those mist systems in just that area.

i’m Going to a winter garden walk at Hardwick on Tuesday, so may come back with a list of shallow rooted harvestable-young annual herbs suitable for small plant pots in a herb wall ? . @Sue B you might enjoy treetop onions if kelp under control, or shallots.

There are a number of systems out there which use interlocking concrete blocks. If you dig in the( forum or the blogs, perhaps via Google, there are many threads.

This has actually made my week - especially as I am currently having a miserable couple of months. As far as I am concerned the highest purposes / achievements of BH are 3 things: 1 - If someone has a more attractive, comfortable, better designed or otherwise more satisfying house to live in than would otherwise be the case. 2 - Ditto higher quality construction. 3 - Ditto more energy efficient. 4 - Ditto quality of decisions. 5 - Keeping more sane / balanced / thoughtful / less stressed throughout. It really can make one plus one come to three. Thanks @simplepimple. Such comments make what time we all put in in our various ways worthwhile imo.

Dye the cat ? I swapped all mine over in 2013, and tbh I have not noticed any problems - except that I have had to swap out single hanging fittings for new ones with several LED bulbs as I seem to notice dim light. It may be that I am not sensitive to the tone. I swapped mainly GU10s to the then Ikea LED bulbs, and I still have a quantity of compact fluorescent bulbs still going strong.

Limit yourself to my threads and you will be fine. Completely banjaxed in the brain, but fine. ? (Why do you think the rest of understand it?)

Presumably one with teeth....

Is not the challenge with hydroponics that you have to mix your taste from the nutrients?

As it happens I am within 20 mins drive of the huge NT herb garden at Hardwick Hall so a dozen visits between Feb and July to quiz the staff will work wonders. My sister did that in her teens for her herb garden. Also happen to be a life member :-). Best Graduation present ever.

Have you considered a built in planter to the same height and depth dimension as the bench?