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drainage for walled border

I'm planning on building a retaining walled bed -4 bricks tall - in my shaded yard. I'll be building straight onto the concrete floor in the yard -will this cause me drainage problems? I'll be filling my beds with your typical shade loving / woodland plants

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  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    MChiz if you miss out pointing every second brick on the bottom level (side pointing), it allows excess water to drain.

  • MChizMChiz Posts: 12
    Thanks Dave. I'd thought about doing that, here and there, to create crevices for plants to grow.
  • Hi, we're doing a similar bed, but in a sunny spot and our brickies advised before planting it up to get some Black Jack from the builders merchant to paint inside before filling with earth. Stops the dampness and avoids green wall later. 

  • MChizMChiz Posts: 12

    thanks Wildflowers.

    I'm aiming for a Japanese woodland look, and am hoping that moss will grow, so maybe I'd be better off encouraging green wall??

    what do u think?

  • Our entire garden has been build on top of concrete. We used old railway sleepers rather than bricks. We have no drainage problems but I suppose the water just drains out from under the sleepers somehow. Hopefully it will be the same for you.

  • MChizMChiz Posts: 12

    thanks Faywray

  • Hi MChiz

    You can get a natural look by putting in some creeping/trailing plants?

    The green that usually grows on bricks and terracotta is more slime than moss image

  • granmagranma Posts: 1,933

    They used to advise putting natural yoghurt on garden pots,  but can't remember if this was just to get an aged look or to encourage moss. Maybe others will know.

    Sounds an interesting ideaimage

  • MChizMChiz Posts: 12

    thx wildflowers, maybe I will use black jack after all.

    I've heard about the yoghurt before -think it is to encourage moss/lichen

  • MChizMChiz Posts: 12

    I've got ivy growing in pots, Granma. I'll get some ivy-leafed thingymybob growin on the wall too. It looks boss in my head, can't wait to realise it!

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