Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Oct 18, 2011 11:40 pm We have a relatively small inner city block and are currently doing major renos - raising, building in and so forth. When we bought the place it had huge lovely leafy trees in the back and was like an oasis - our own little bit of country in the city. With everything that was going ahead we had to get them removed, and I consoled myself that well when it was all done I'd be able to plant a few fruit trees and have a veggie patch etc, which previously had not been possible as not enough light had come through. We had decided on a concrete sleeper wall, and long story short it suddenly got more expensive and was going to take a long time before they could get it done - we found a company that could do a block wall cheaper and could start straight away so we decided to go with it. Now today all the footings have been dug out and as the walls are pretty high, the footings come out a fair way. I knew the footings would go down a fair distance, but I didn't know they would be coming this far out - I saw the plans - but I just didn't realise what it really meant. We are going to have ugly concrete at least a metre all the way in around our walls - no trees for me unless they are further in, which then means no playing space for the kids and being a small backyard it's too impractical to have trees in the middle of it. So I could get a few pots and have a few small trees, but thats it - just ugly concrete everywhere. I can't even grow grapevines all over the walls as I'd planned as there is nowhere to plant them at the base of the wall. These walls encompass all 3 boundaries of our backyard. I'd also planned on getting a few chickens in a coop in the corner - I'd (foolishly) thought they'd have a nice run along the back area - which is all concrete - how can I do that to poor chickens? It's all been excavated, and is ready to be concreted tomorrow - so I could potentially run and stop them at 6am tomorrow morning - and just pay them for the work they've already done - $10k worth, but then I'd be back to square one with the concrete sleepers, and have wasted money that we can't afford - so we're stuck with it. So please just help me feel better about this ugly thing that is ruining my back yard - and all my future plans. (Dramatic, yes I know, but I'm pretty miserable about it) Re: Please help me feel better about my retaining wall 3Oct 19, 2011 6:40 am Attach photos, so we know what you are talking about, and get more replies. 13-08 Moved in 13-05 Build restart 13-04 VMIA compensation 12-08 Builder liquidation 12-03 Fixing 11-12 Lockup 11-11 Frame 11-09 Slab 11-09 Start 11-07 Contract 10-11 2K deposit 10-06 Titled land Re: Please help me feel better about my retaining wall 5Oct 20, 2011 12:53 pm You can still do your chook run. Run the fence along the edge of your footings. If you get hold of wood shavings ( try finding a wood turner) and spread them at least 200mm thick over the top of the concrete footings the chooks will scratch and turn them over along with thier poop creating wonderful mulch for your trees. Throw a small amount of wheat daily to encourage them to scratch. Throw in vege scraps and a few grass clippings. Every 6 months you change the shavings and wash off the concrete. This is a lovely clean way to keep chooks. Also you could espelier some fruit trees near your footings edge and grow ground cover over the concrete with a very shallow amount of soil. Veges too can be grown if you cover your footings with layers of straw and manure. Hope this helps. Re: Please help me feel better about my retaining wall 6Oct 21, 2011 9:45 am Ballabil You can still do your chook run. Run the fence along the edge of your footings. If you get hold of wood shavings ( try finding a wood turner) and spread them at least 200mm thick over the top of the concrete footings the chooks will scratch and turn them over along with thier poop creating wonderful mulch for your trees. Throw a small amount of wheat daily to encourage them to scratch. Throw in vege scraps and a few grass clippings. Every 6 months you change the shavings and wash off the concrete. This is a lovely clean way to keep chooks. Also you could espelier some fruit trees near your footings edge and grow ground cover over the concrete with a very shallow amount of soil. Veges too can be grown if you cover your footings with layers of straw and manure. Hope this helps. Do you know - this is just what i needed to hear. I've now done searches on all your suggestions and I have a few plans, and I think I can make some ideas work. Thanks for opening my mind In my opinion just a few more indoor plants and you're done. It's already a lovely space, you've managed a classic style without being too cluttered and that creates a… 1 17663 Thank you again Simeon.. I will call my certifier for that. Have a good day 4 5108 brokers will also be in a position to get you a better rate than the advertised rate most times. 6 7533 |