How to build a Besser block raised garden beds on a sloped area?

[HighHopesDIY]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello fellow DIY'ers,

I'm looking to do a bit of work to our front yard that has been very much forgotten about since we built our house a few years ago. I've been mulling over possibilities/designs/materials whilst weighing up costs/avoiding need for council planning permission/my own significant lack of skills in landscaping over the past few months and i think I've settled on a design (see rough pics) and using besser blocks as the material.

For the square shape garden bed in front of the window, i was thinking approx 700mm high from ground level at side of the porch - my first question is; given the ground slopes up do i need to dig out the perimeter of where the besser blocks will be layed to be level with the lowest point? Or can i do a stepped sort of approach to work more with the land? Or will that compromise the integrity of the wall?

For the raised garden bed running parralel to the side fence, my aim is to keep most of the existing hill there to avoid having to dig out copious amounts of dirt and put a full on retaining wall there. This garden bed will be about 7m long. This little hill does get muddy easy as water runs through from our neighbours. So is it worthwhile putting in drainage in? Or will planting out this area help ease the muddiness? I will again run into the issue of sloped ground too. Any suggestions or input would be most appreciated! Hoping to keep this a cost effective upgrade 🤞

[EricL]

Hello @HighHopesDIY 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about building a Besser block garden bed. 

To prevent the Besser blocks from leaning or tilting a foundation must be built for it and this will involve digging. I'm afraid there is no escape from the digging part of your project. I suggest having a quick look at this guide - How to Build a Retaining Wall Adbri Masonry. It will need to be built in this manner because it needs to hold back the soil.

Another option is to use sleepers, it will not be as labour intensive, as it will only require you to dig the posts for the retaining wall. Have a look at this guide - How To Build Retaining Wall. Not only will it be easier to build but it will also be more affordable.

I also suggest having a look at this discussion - Large gabion retaining wall by @Dave-1. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Evening @HighHopesDIY 

I do have a sweet spot for gabion styled walls, They allow drainage, dont need a foundation other then packed earth (or scraped off grass and soft topsoil) and they dont shift Take a wander through my bookmarks and you will see a bunch of differant sizes and uses. I am installing one as I type This one has a set of gabion styled steps beside it. 

Bessa block walls need a foundation as @EricL has said, drainage for sure. The ones you see in that project will need replacing (with another line of gabions of course) as they dont have a foundation, or reo, or even concrete in them. Dodgy bro inc must have installed them is all I can say

Oh and Bunnings sells a few differant sized cages, I have seen people use smoth rocks, broken concrete, bricks even just laid in them loosely. Ive even seen hardwood blocks in them for windbreaks

Dave