Garden IdeasNow

Area & materials

Measure twice.
Order once.

Estimate the geometric quantity first. Add an allowance deliberately, with its reason recorded.

The bed
The order

Bag sizes stay in litres in either unit system. Bulk conversion is shown in the result. No density or weight is assumed.

Planting-density estimate

This estimates density across the whole area. It does not place plants or reserve edge offsets, access gaps or space for mature spread.

Use bags in a budget

What the numbers mean

Rectangle area = length × width. Circle area = π × radius². Volume = area × depth. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres; a foot is exactly 0.3048 metres. Bags round up after your allowance.

A 6 × 2 m bed at 5 cm depth needs 0.6 m³ or 600 litres: twelve 50-litre bags, with no extra allowance. This is a volume, not a planting-depth prescription.

Measure uncovered soil and subtract obstructions before ordering. Soil may settle; mulch varies in texture. Ask the supplier about the material and avoid raising soil against stems, buildings or drainage openings.