Raised Beds in the Veggie Patch

[MaryN]

After mixed results in the veggie patch, I've decided to put in a few raised beds to see if they make any difference to production of crops and the quality.We're quite lucky here in East Anglia - the soil quality is in most parts very good and fertile. Where I am, however, it tends to dry out quickly in summer and get quickly boggy in winter. This is fine if you have the time to be constantly tickling the surface to break up the pans in hot weather and to help the drainage in wet weather. I do not have the time to mollycoddle the garden. It was dry here in summer and I found that treading across the borders to plant and out and dig up left impacted pans of pathways. These not only wasted space, but encouraged the growth of perennial, hardy weeds that were hell to get out without a lot of swearing and digging.

Have any of the Forum members had much success with raised beds, and did you have an optimum size? I don't want to have to lean across to access plants, but equally I do not want to waste space on the "walls" of the beds. I have no problem in providing the soil and muck to go into the beds - we have the equine equivalent of the forth bridge on the manure producing front. Also, would wooden walls or brick walls work best? I have never really used raised beds to raise veggies, and I do not wish to make a start on it without some idea as to the best method. I can't afford to waste the time constructing and reconstructing during the growing period.

As always, any info gratefully received.