[spy]

Hi all, here I am picking your brains again!  

I have a flower bed that was completely overgrown when we moved in a few weeks back.  I have set about clearing it but I just dont like it.  It runs along the length of our outbuilding.  I went to the local bargain DIY place this morning and noticed treated planks, (ribbed look like decking) for sale for £2.99 a go.  I was thinking of building a raised bed just over a foot high that runs the full length.  Never been so short of cash in my life, reckon I could do this for about £40 which isnt so bad.

Now I realise I will have to install some posts, do I just dig and concrete them in?

I would cover the existing bed with a weed proof membrane and then be adding new top soil / compost to fill the raised bed.  Is it OK to fill it with soil up against the bare brick wall or will this give me a damp problem on the inside?  Do I need to build the wooden wall all around to solve this?  

I would want to use this for some veg but also some decorative plants as well (gotta keep the missus happy afterall! ).  Can anyone suggest anything suitable (veg wise) for relatively shallow soil that doesnt get a lot of sun?  It is usually in direct sunlight from 8 - 11am ish but then is in shade the rest of the day.  I was thinking I could grow my rhubarb there?  Anything else?

Sorry for the mammoth list of questions!

Cheers,


Mike