207scott
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:17 pm

Help with garden newbie

Hi all be nice for some on to what to do and where to start my rear garden slopes slightly away from the property the previous tenants have dug down on one side by bout 14inch up to the path it looks like there intensions was to put a patio or level the garden as its dug down in two stages what the best way to rectify this problem out move fowar wih the garden
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nltaff
Senior Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Central NY (rural) Zone 5

Hi 207scott, I'll jump in here. I think your post raises more questions to answer, that would help everyone attempt a response. What do you want to do with the excavated area? You mention "previous tenants", so what does your landlord say about the area? (I think it odd that one would rent a property in that shape-looks a bit dangerous, especially for children). The pavers were obviously just placed on the ground (should have a stone/sand base compacted under them). And, finally, what is that gaping hole under the paver in the first picture? If you can give a bit more information, maybe others will offer some helpful suggestions.

207scott
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:17 pm

Thanks for the response nltaff
First of all I really don't know what to do with garden as you can tell its been left a mess its a council property but looking to buy in 5 year so want to do it right first time the gaping hole is a channel it looks like they was attempting to put a retaining wall across then drop the rest of the garden at other side to get it level that's what it looks like to me anyway it is defiantly not safe for my 4 children which is a majour concern I have been out this morning shifting the soil they left in middle of garden down to bottom I wouldn't mind a patio there but seems a lot of work to lower garden I can upload more pics for you to get more of a idea thanks scott

nltaff
Senior Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Central NY (rural) Zone 5

More pictures might help. I can tell that the slope is there based upon the right side fence being stepped down as it runs toward the back shrub border. Pictures are deceptive, and while your yard looks fairly level, walking there you might be more aware of the slope (at least it isn't sloped toward the dwelling). Does the slope hinder your use of the yard? That is, would you enjoy it more if it were more level? Chairs don't sit right, chores leave your ankles and feet sore because of constant strain of being on un-level ground? Terracing might be the way to go, you could use the piled soil to backfill any wall you construct half-way back. What materials do you have available to you if you decide to terrace?

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

It would also help if you update your profile with your zone and location.
A few questions
1. At the time you took the photos most of the area was in shade. How many hours of sun does it get. A vegetable garden would need 6-8 hours of full sun. If it gets less sun, then it changes what kinds of plants would be able to grow well there.

2. If the slope is significant then a tiered bed would be better.

3 I prefer to have the bed be no wider than 4 ft. Otherwise you will be obligated to have to step in it.

4. Most plants don't do well near walls because of heating during the day and shadows from the wall blocking the light. If the bed is wide. consider leaving a maintenance path along the wall. It will make the bed accessible from both sides and easier to keep plants off the fence.

5 I would get a soil test for a baseline. If you want a vegetable garden then the soil test will tell you what you need to add to grow your plants well. You can assume adding compost will be on the list. Usually 4-6 inches of compost mixed in with your soil can only help.

nltaff
Senior Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Central NY (rural) Zone 5

imafan, I think scott is somewhere in England, and I think he's asking about what to do with his "yard". In England, everyone refers to the backyard as the back "garden". It took me a few minutes to "twig it". I was just trying to figure out if the actual slope was impeding the family's use of the yard, whether it would be worth the time or effort or expense to actually go ahead and terrace it to level it. I, too, was wondering if he actually intended to grow veg or put in some ornamental plants. Hard to respond, because I don't know what is available to him-landscape ties secured with reinforcing bar (rebar), concrete block, stones for a dry-stack wall? Too bad Charlie and Allen quit doing "Ground Force"!!! I was a very enthusiastic fan! (back in the days of VHS tapes)

207scott
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Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:17 pm

Hi guys some great responces knew this would be the place to ask first of all I'm located in south yorkshire I'm barnsley yeah the slope you can tell the problem is havi g kods the slope is not ideal and as it starts leveling of towards the bottom of the slope there is lumps and bumps which my kids fall down and trip ober constantly as its so uneven we would deffiantly love it been level or a good area of tbe garden level as we have a hottub and pools for kids I can accses most of materials to be honiest interms of sun we have it all day towards the right off the flags shadeded all on the left due to height of fence and next doors extension I would lile to have the garden sectioned area fpr us to sit and relax while the other half contains stuff for my kids my intesions would be left side of flags a patio running 2m x 4m as the pictures u can see its stepped on where the soil as been removed so there I would remove the soil to the level of the patio area and build a retainimg bed with sleepers which then run patio off that then level rest of garden to height of patio as they have dug it down 16inches towards the top part of the garden I hope I'm makimg sence here guys it so hard been on mobile typimg

207scott
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:17 pm

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nltaff
Senior Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Central NY (rural) Zone 5

Scott, I know on this forum, I'm not supposed to tell you to go to another site to look for answers, but I just saw some awesome pictures by doing a bing search. I'm not comfortable copying those pictures onto this site as most of them have been copyrighted by the owners. Just to be clear, I asked the question, "What are "sleepers" for building a garden wall in England?" Suspecting full well that they were the equivalent of our "landscape ties". If I'm getting this right, you want the patio in the dug out area? Are you going to use those flagstones to pave the patio? Some of the pictures I saw showed patios, or the lower portions next to the retaining walls paved with more sleepers, laid out like hardwood flooring. What do you call that hard surface right outside the door? (looks like asphalt) Patio? and you want that same level extended down to the bottom of the garden, along the entire left wall? That would leave you with patio in the shade, and the rest of the soil could be used to level out the rest of the area. If you wanted a small planting bed on the sunny side, you could scrape under the roots of the grass, roll up the sod to place on the soil that's used to raise the area. Same with the kiddie pool. You could clear the sod under it and use it to fill in and maybe not have to re-seed the whole area.



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