I had to build my garden by terracing into the mountain on the hillside above my home.
I used lumber to make reaised beds that was left over from building my two story stand alone garage.
My garden is split between 5 gallon bucket containers and in the ground trenches filled with container soil.
The soil here is a very sticky red clay. I am not planting directly in the red clay itself.
All of the soil used in my garden is composted container soil.
Even the in ground trench plantings have had the red clay removed and container soil fills the trench where the plants grow.
The trenches and raised beds are about 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep.
The trenches and raised beds work better for things like lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, beans and squash.
I grow all my Eggplant, tomatoes and cucumbers in containers.

 The 5 gallon bucket containers I use have about 16 - 9/16 inch diameter holes drilled in the sides at the very bottom of the bucket.
I have landscaping fabric in the bottom of the buckets kind of like a coffee filter, and then the bucket is filled with container soil.
The water flows through the buckets easily and no soil is lost because of the landscape cloth at the bottom covering the holes.
No problems with insects entering the containers through the drain holes either.
The earthworms manage to find a way into my buckets. 

 I have a drip irrigation system that I use but mostly I like to hand water with my moisture meter in one hand and a hose in the other.
Early morning watering with a cup of coffee, looking at all the plants is fun for me.
My garden is right next to my home business which is where I work all day long.
It's nice to take breaks, go outside and look at everything growing.

2008 Harvest pictures

2008 Garden pictures page 3

2008 Garden pictures page 2

2008 Garden pictures page 1
 

2007 Garden pictures page 4

2007 Garden pictures page 3

2007 Garden pictures page 2

2007 Garden pictures page 1