Hello Jenny and welcome. You'll soon feel really at home here.
I did the same - had a long lawn, don't like mowing grass! I skimmed off the turf then double-dug. I made a trench 2 spades depth and buried the turves upside down at the bottom then replaced the soil. You can do this a couple of spades at a time - not a whole trenchful. I was still at work then and came home, got my boots on and did a row every evening except when it was tippling down with rain. You can get a long way quite fast like that. By spring it will be ready to go!

Best wishes with it. I don't think I'd bother with raised beds if you plan to grow on your lottie in 2 years time.

Cheers,

Flum

__________________
If a man is in the garden and speaks, and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated January 9th - The season begins!