Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

High retaining wall

Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
in Problem solving
This is my daughter's new back garden in Devon, (sorry for poor quality photos). As you can see it has a very big buttressed and tiered solid retaining wall. The mesh fence at the top is a stock fence to keep sheep out. Beyond the field is Dartmoor, so granite is the bedrock. The garden is a rectangle, maybe 4 metre or so wide, maybe not so deep, facing south-east I think. The wall obviously gets some sunshine as there are lots of old roses and some lavender at the  base. She has been advised not to paint the wall as it is probably permanently damp. I'm thinking variegated ivy or climbing hydrangea and possibly vinca minor alba ( I could take cuttings from mine) cascading down from the middle tier if there's any soil up there. The other possibility is trellis screwed to the wall when she can afford it at a later date but it's a rented property so she doesn't want to spend a lot.
Any other ideas please.
North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
«1

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    A grapevine on wires with vine-eyes screwed into the wall?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Now that's an idea @Dovefromabove !
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    Its a bit of a ugly wall , I'd go with a evergreen climber like Ivy, but grow something more attractive like a clematis / annual climbers or others and use the Ivy as a climbing frame for the other plants . can anything be planted on top of the wall ? Some plants will naturally spread over the top like a Ceanothus Repens and others .  
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Thanks Perki, it is indeed a very ugly wall and very visible from the conservatory where she will have to work every day.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    That's a beast. I would attach some vertical battens to the wall, and then attach horizontal battens all the way up the wall with a little gap between each one. (You'll have to leave spaces for the buttresses). Then add some wires and some nice climbers.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Thanks @Loxley, it is indeed a beast of a wall. I haven't seen it yet, in the flesh so to speak because of the lockdown so don't know how high it really is. It's made of concrete so not easy to drill and daughter doesn't have a hammer drill anyway. We're still thinking about it. It may be that the existing roses can be fan trained which would help to hide the wall.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited January 2021
    It looks to be about 2.4m.

    That table will be perhaps 800mm, and the fence panels 1.8m high.

    So about the same height as a normal ceiling, excluding the sheep netting.
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    I’m puzzled by the child sized cut out that looks like it might be found on a shooting range. Were the neighbours very pleased when the previous owners left?
    Rutland, England
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hello @Lizzie27,

    I would fix some concrete reinforcing mesh panels in front of it  .... they soon rust down once installed.
    They will provide a relatively cheap way to grow lots of climbers which will soon hide the wall.

    Bee x


    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    It was horrible wasn't it @BenCotto, glad to say it has now been removed, along with all the pots and the rotten shed. I wondered if it was a corn dolly - gave me the creeps.
    The reinforcing mesh might be a good idea @Bee witched, might be cheaper than wooden trellis.
    I think you might be right about the height Ferdinand.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
Sign In or Register to comment.