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Need advice on garden wall choices..

8 years ago

I have recently renovated my dated 1930s house, which is contemporary. I am now focusing on my back yard. I have a large sloping wild garden (a drop of 25-30 feet in total) and a nature preserve at the back of my house. I plan to build a hardwood deck with glass balustrade extending from the building. But before I do that, I need to reconstruct garden retention walls on the second level (this section follows 7 ft from where deck ends)
that have been damaged. This section follow 6 ft after the deck. I currently have them in Yorkstone. I need your advice if I should use 'brick' for retention walls to keep with the contemporary look or go with the 'yorkstone'. Though my extension has clean lines, my garden is a bit wild and wooded, the look of which I would like to retain. Would the yorkstone distract the continuity for the contemporary deck and building? Would brick be too harsh for a garden like this? The sections that need replaced are in the last 2 photos. Advice please.

Featured Answer

Juliet Docherty

8 years ago

Wow that is stunning. I would go with whichever material has the most intrinsic beauty and that would be the York Stone.

Comments (8)

benburnett
8 years ago
A white rendered block wall would look very clean and serve it job well for many decades. I'd ideally go for that with a stainless steel mesh covering it with an Ivy grown for cover. English Ivy for greenery, Boston for year round interest and colour. Contemporary down lighting would suit well if you wanted a finished look and wouldn't be too expensive seeing as the wiring would be hidden within a year or so. Houzz has great examples. Best of luck on your project.
flwright thanked benburnett
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Hi I would look to raise the lawn up level with the path to the front door by building a smart brick retaining wall. You could then plant a low ish hedge along the top to provide further privacy but keep it to no more than 4/5 ft to prevent it overpowering the space and blocking light. For that reason I'd avoid conifers of any sort as they are thugs and take a lot of managing. By raising the lawn from pavement level it will give you some privacy anyway. It'd be nice to loose the concrete kerb along the side of the drive too so it doesn't feel and look like the road! Perhaps continue the brick round till it feathers out to meet the path to the door? A feature tree of small to medium size would also be a nice addition to the lawn. Look for one with dual seasonal interest ie. Spring flower and Autumn colour such as Amelanchier or some of the flowering cherries. Good luck Neil
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Have you thought of gabions, provided you put the facing layer of something attractive that you like you can fill the back with all the old bricks and rubble (no soil) that would save on the amount of money you would have to spend on the facing and journeys to the tip to get rid of rubbish. If you wanted you could add a decking board, or anything you fancied on the top to use as seating this doesn't need to be the full width of the garden and is quite cheap to buy but do treat with preservative to give a long life, I definitely would put plants behind to stop people tripping over and falling on to the patio. Hope this will helps you.
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Ash McGregor
8 years ago
For something different what about gabions filled with local stone? Quick to construct and fairly inexpensive. You can also plant between the stones to soften it
flwright
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you, AM. I don't like the industrial look of the gabion and I don't feel it has a place in residences.
flwright
Original Author
8 years ago
Colourhappy, thank you. That is what I am leaning towards.
flwright
Original Author
8 years ago
Benburnett, interesting suggestion. I had not considered it previously. Thank you
PRO
Esther Jury Landscape and Garden Design
8 years ago
I would rebuild the York Stone walls. (why waste money on new materials when you have an expensive one on site). Y just need to get a good craftsman to do it properly. If you ensure the it is laid with care and open joints you could add ferns, etc. relatively easily. Ask them not to clean the moss off either so it doesn't look new. Hardwood decking is nice, but have you considered using one of the new composite decking materials on the market? There are a few so it is worth doing some research but they are usually made of recycled plastics and wood and I have seen them in pale grey looking very like real wood (hardwood weathers to pale grey over a few months) they require no maintenance apart from a sweep, and last longer than wood. A good landscaper will be able to advise. I hope you are planning to build your new deck level with your window threshold. Why have a step down when the transition can be seamless?

I love your garden by the way. Wild and woolly absolutely the best way, especially if you back onto a nature reserve. It also works so well in contrast to the modern house. Good luck!
flwright
Original Author
8 years ago
Dear Esther Jury, thank you very much for such a detailed response. First and foremost, we think alike. My deck will definitely be at the same level of my window threshold. Given the practical reasons due to varying ground levels and also not to make it look too, how should I put it, stocky, I am going to have a floating deck. Think Frank Lloyd Wright cantilevered decks like the kind in his Falling Water house (can figure out my adoration for him from my moniker). I have researched thoroughly about woods, composites, value for price and have decided to go with Iroko. It supposedly ages into a beautiful dark brown. Today, my old architect suggested cladding with Iroko for retaining walls and steps. Very interesting idea. Have to explore the durability of the wood for such use.

I too love my garden/forest. Can you believe I am 5 minutes from the City centre and I don't see a soul and have fox and their cubs bask in the sun on wintery morning and all types of birds floating about. It fills me with serenity and I am grateful for it and hence why I dwell so long on choices, so I get it right and don't take anything away from its beauty.

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