Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 09, 2010 10:48 pm Opinions please, I have a large backyard guess-estimating around 300 m2. The yard has a slope to it ( back fence to house) that makes it a little hard to level kids play equipment like swings etc but certainly not unusable (around 60cm rise over 10 metres). I have very big mature trees in the last 150m2 of yard towards the back fence and grass in the front 150m2. I have been thinking about levelling the front 150 and creating a terrace with a retaining wall cutting the yard in half leaving the trees alone. What do people think a smaller flat yard or a larger sloped yard? The sloped yard looks great and all the plantings sit beautifully way better than i could hope on a flat site. I love to kick the soccer ball, footy and play cricket with the little man and the larger yard is great but its not flat and the ball goes down the hill into the house or fence. So thats my dillema, fight the slope of the land and create a two terraces which would make two lovely areas, one a flat lawn and a second full of fruit trees and large mature shade trees... Re: To terrace or to not 2Sep 10, 2010 9:58 pm if you want to kick a ball around go for a larger flat area with a smaller area for the trees etc. It adds interest to the yard having it on different levels and it sounds like there on;t be a huge amount of difference in the levels so you won't have to worry about any little tykes falling off retaining walls. Re: To terrace or to not 3Sep 11, 2010 11:14 pm Thanks kexkez, i am getting a quote that will help me decide. A lot of retaining has to be done so i have to factor that in as well. Re: To terrace or to not 4Sep 11, 2010 11:55 pm Terrace A whole series of smaller inter connected gardens still in the same space via small ramped pathways of firm gravel to get that nice sound and feel underfoot. Do different terraces at lots of different levels with no set out uniformity to the heights of each one. Break it up into a series of practical purposes too. Does that make any sense? Re: To terrace or to not 5Sep 12, 2010 7:34 am Thanks Fu, Only problem with lots of terraces is the trees, they are very big eg (2m round trunks) and i will need to cut and fill over their root systems.. As you know there is only so far you can push tree before they snuff it. Other consideration too is there is mature landscaping around the yard all so levelling areas off that are nice and flat might look odd with sloping garden beds. Re: To terrace or to not 6Sep 12, 2010 8:12 pm If they are that mature, you should be fine to terrace and fill in around the bases a little. I know a guy who against my advice back filled a Tuart to 2m and the tree said to me, "Fu, in your face man! I is gonna grow fine" I was wrong It took someone to have some nuts to take a risk, and from that is where many great gardening and landscapes push the boundaries of what we know and get progressive It also took someone who didn't care if the tree lives or dies ... I cared The HIA contract, in the term & conditions section states that "Commencment" is deemed when the drainage is started or the piers are dug or the slab is formed up (incase… 2 6178 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair But if it is a ground level open pit, then it is not a charged system. No surprises there. The pipes have obviously been altered and there would be a reason for this.… 3 31281 I work with owner, he/she is my man on the ground and I instruct them when to visit the site and take photos and I have other tools in the bag. 4 15276 |