How to transform a garden patch
An old wooden fence and drab corner of the garden is transformed through the addition of a mini raised bed made from a macrocarpa sleeper.
You will need: 100mm x 200mm macrocarpa sleeper, 150mm x 6mm galvanised flat head nails, Bucket, Circular saw, Clamps, Drill with 4mm drill bit, Flowering shrub and potted colour, Garden hose with clean running water, Garden sprayer, Good-quality top soil or potting mix, Hammer, Offcuts of timber, Paint stirrer, Pencil, Set square, Spirit level, Stiff-bristled brush, Tape measure, Paintbrushes, Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Pipi, Resene Moss & Mould Killer, Resene Quick Dry, Resene Timber and Deck Wash, Resene Waterborne Woodsman penetrating oil stain tinted to Resene Japanese Maple.
Top tip: As this existing fence was built from landscaping timber (which is H4 treated) it’s suitable for prolonged contact with bare soil. If your fencing timber is only H3 treated, however, it may be necessary to build a back and additional side to the raised bed to prevent the fence coming in direct contact with soil.
To get the look: Mark planted the raised bed with a Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ and some yellow polyanthus for some instant winter cheer.
Instructions
Step one 
Step two Thoroughly soak the wooden fence with the solution and leave for 48 hours.
Step three 
Step fourScrub the wooden fence vigorously with the solution using a stiff-bristled brush.
Step five Rinse the wooden fence with clean water and allow to dry.
Step six 
Step seven Apply two coats of Resene Pipi to the wooden fence, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.
Step eight Measure and mark the macrocarpa sleeper into two pieces to make the walls of the raised bed.
Step nineCreate a ‘cutting fence’ by clamping an offcut of timber across the macrocarpa sleeper, as shown, to ensure the cutting line is straight. As the sleeper will be too thick to cut from one side, turn it over and repeat this step.
Step tenPlace the two pieces of sleeper into position at a right angle and fix at the corner with 150mm nails, drilling pilot holes first.
Step elevenEnsure the raised bed is level and then fix to the fence by nailing through the back of each end of the sleeper at an angle, drilling pilot holes first.
Step twelve
Step thirteenApply one full coat of Resene Waterborne Woodsman to the raised bed and allow to dry before applying a second coat, if required.
Step fourteenFill the raised bed with good quality potting mix or topsoil and plant up with a flowering shrub and potted colour.