Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jun 11, 2009 12:38 pm OK.. So we have decided it is finally time to do something with our backyard before the little one arrives.. We have a big block and virtually nothing to start with so it's a blank canvas. As you can see by the photo below (a very crudely stitched together image) it is big and on a slight slope.. So we are thinking the first thing we will do is paint all 3 fences the same colour.. We will then knock out the ridiculous slab that the shed is on and redo that at a normal (ground level).
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The plan is basically to try and make a 2-3 high pine sleeper retaining wall about 1 metre off the side and back fences.. We want to "dig out" the lawn to make it level up to the new retaining walls. Any ideas whether that is going to be a massive job and whether the soil taken out can be used as backfill behind the walls? Any ides here would be appreciated - we plan to have an area dedicated to "kids play area" - not sure where or how yet just after ideas.. Also is this a bad time to be doing it? Re: The Backyard Makeover - Help Needed 2Jun 11, 2009 11:26 pm I wouldn't worry with the wall. Leave the slope as it is pretty much. You don't need a level garden to have a nice garden. That could come up amazing by having a garden bed built up in some parts and a nice series of paths winding through. You may need some very low rocks at some high points of the garden beds but that is cheaper and better looking tahn the retaining wall. Like shallow terracing using some nice open areas, perhapes just mulched to serve as a pathway through the garden. How do i get those thoughts down better ? Sorry but a winding garden would look really nice rather than strict hard straight lines and level surfaces. Build the garden well and run off is not an issue. Good soil and great mulching will sort that out. Give it a natural feel. It is a blessing in disguise Re: The Backyard Makeover - Help Needed 3Jun 12, 2009 1:13 am There's also the whole issue with pine sleepers. (Though when rellies had their old leaning retaining wall replaced the people that did it said they used a newer safer version. Something to research if you go that route but I agree with Fu's suggestion.) Well done with the panorama pic! Re: The Backyard Makeover - Help Needed 4Oct 06, 2010 2:04 pm I am resurrecting an old post here - turns out having a baby was more time consuming than anticipated and we still haev not touched the yard - but that is going to change. I am definitely keen on keeping it relatively simple and not levelling, installing retaining walls or having hard lines. FU MANCHU - if you are still around the place would love to hear some more from you re your original ideas. I am very open to any suggestions so anything from anyone is more than welcome. The main objectives are to move the shed from the top right to top left corner near the clothesline (will pave a 'slab' for that) and have an area at the top right as a dedicated 'play area' for my little man - cubby/swings etc. Anything else is open slather so please feel free to comment. Cheers DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair That laser level looks lovely! We bought one for less than a quarter of that price off eBay. It worked really well for us and it's still going now, five years later. After… 1 13344 It's possible but a soak well is usually much larger. Your 'soak well' only holds 424 litres when full. What is your soil type? Soak wells need sandy soils. 10 6197 Need advice on the backyard plan above. Should I excavate and cut all of the dirt to level with the house slab or semi-excavate as per photo above? Both left and right… 0 19006 |