Dawn’s old retaining wall had seen better days. With no drainage and heavy clay soils, the timber was always wet and had rotted through over the years.
After digging out all the old rotten timber, I decided the best way to deal with the bad drainage was to put in concrete foundations that lifted all the timber, and drainage, above the lower ground level. Once the concrete foundations and timber posts were in, I used agcloth and pipe, along with a heap of gravel, to provide full drainage along the wall. Plus I leveled out the lower ground level and added a gravel sump at the lowest point to drain the whole area.
Then I used wooden sleepers to build the new wall, and a new stairs, crafted from merbau tropical hardwood, to provide access to the top level.
The result was an stylish new wall, with excellent drainage to provide long life and attractive stairs that provide access and act as a focal point for the garden.
