the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

so i have my new build and things are going well,i have had my front garden ripped up and turned into a gravel driveway so now its time to tackle the rear garden.

its 190sq mtrs (around 62ft long and quite wide as part of it goes behind my garage).

it slopes upwards away from the house, not a massive slope but over the entire length i would guess its just over 1/2 a meter incline away from the house.

i would like it as flat as possible as i want an area outside for some strongman equipment and a hot tub/patio etc.

the fence around the garden is a standard fetheredge fence put up by jelsons with a 6" wooden kickboard at the bottom.

i know that removing alot of soil will leave me with the problem of retaining the neighbours soil. my neighbours on either side are on board with me and even offered to contribute towards a new fence (i can get posts/gravel boards for free from work), the fence at the back of the property is split between the 2 houses at the back which are still being built.

i have a few questions im unsure of....

-with the ground sloping downwards towards our house and the 2 houses at the back alot higher than mine im concerned about water issues, what are my options? do i install land drains (the perforated type) if so where do i run the water to?

-what would be the best way of retaining the soil from the neighbours gardens either side? as i have the option and backing of the neighbours to replace the fence i was thinking of doubling up the gravel boards so 2 x 12" boards at the start and the further back i get maybe 3 x 12" boards.

-if i cannot get the owners of the 2 houses at the back of the property on board and they will not let me change the fence is my only option then to install a new fence right up to theirs (back to back)

i will try and get some pics up in the next couple of days

anything else i have overlooked?

thanks in advance

micabluematt

Just dig out and don't go right up to the fence,you could then build a small retaining wall.

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

was thinking of this,maybe keep 18" away from the fence and use sleepers to create planters etc

micabluematt

Spot on

hedgecutter

iTrader: (5)

​​​​​​planters would solve the retaining issue; you can make it more interesting by using sleepers vertically, which allows you to add curves, rather than boxy straight lines. This also allows you to vary the retaining height ; chainsaw the sleepers into required lengths, dig a small trench, and concrete in. You can line the back with geofibre or landscape matting. Back fill with your excess soil from leveling.
Drainage obviously needs to go somewhere, and soakaways actually fill really quickly, unless on sand or gravel soils. Can it be routed along side the house, to the front? If you have drains at the back, as a last solution, you can tap the land drain into the drain, but don't tell your water company! Perforated drain needs to be enclosed in an envelope of geofibre, filled with 10mm shingle, or a drain sock. This stops all your hard work from clogging.
Hope this helps

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

Yeah that's a great help thanks. I would probably fill the planters with decorative gravel/slate and have fancy pots for plants.i need to create a low maintenance garden ideally. I can get sleepers at trade price so will probably go with them.

Not sure tapping into my rainwater spout at the back is legal lol

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

The laws not legal 90% of the time its only rain water. pipe it in to the drain no one will ever no.

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

Will I also need the channel type drains with the grid on top at the base of my patio?

David Lock

One property we had just had a decent lawn leading up to the rear where it met a close boarded fence, It was flat though. I wanted to build a decent size fish pond so I got man plus digger and he laid a small 2/3 deep brick retaining wall about 4 ft away from the fence. As we dug out the pond the soil was put behind the wall. We were lucky it was a good quality and I added manure etc and mixed it in. It made such a difference so you might think along those lines which means you can level your lawn. D

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Does the ground at any point become very soggy when it rains?

My in-law has a sloping garden back to the house, every year it floods the patio right up to the damp proof course. Told him many times to get it sorted or water will find its way into the house. He now has a half baked solution that he drains the water that hits the house back to a tank and pumps this down into the sewer. He should of dug a deep trench right across his property further from the house and channelled the water away before it got near his property- didnt want to spoil his lawn

divert the water around your property if you can