Dead flat gardens are surprisingly rare. Where different levels must be retained, some forethought can make a big difference.
1) Timber remains the most common choice, probably based on price and the DIY ethos. It is holding back a considerable weight of soil that will be wet and exerting outward pressure, so strong construction is critical. Walk around established suburbs and you are sure to find older timber retaining walls bulging outwards. You need to get the supports right, both horizontally and vertically, to keep it all in place. Milled timber must be tanalised to ground retention grade or it will rot quickly.
2) A cut stone wall is permanent, aesthetically pleasing and probably the most expensive option. The part-time stonemason here critiques my photos of modern stonework, pointing out that the stones should be keyed in to each other (as brickwork is). You should not be able to pick out vertical lines running down the wall because these are a point of weakness which indicate that it is the mortar holding the stones together. I mention this in case you decide to commission a stone wall of your own.
3) Immediately next door to the attractive stone wall is the DIY option – although probably involving some lifting machinery to get the rocks in place. These have cement laid between them, which is unlikely to be structural but merely to keep out weed growth. Keen gardeners might prefer to plant between the rocks. Interestingly, some gradient has been left here rather than the vertical cut seen on the adjacent stone wall. Allowing a gradient reduces the outward pressure the retained ground will exert.
4) Further down the same street, I found the true DIY option. Smaller stones, able to be lifted by one or two people, have been placed and the area has been turned into a rockery on a sloped gradient again. Once established, plant roots will hold a certain amount of soil in place. The owner of this frontage is clearly a keen gardener.
5) Ugly functionalism at its worst – and I can say that because this is on a property we bought. Concrete blocks have been used to retain the straight sections, poured concrete on the curves. It does the job. That is all there is to say. If I still lived in that house, I would be contemplating plastering and painting the retaining walls to try and make them a little less brutal.
6) Faced with a similar situation to the preceding photo, this example shows what a little more thought, imagination and money can achieve. These are blocks – though whether a soft stone or aggregate, I am not sure – but a much superior look in aesthetic terms with the softer edges and random sizes. What also makes a big difference here is the flat capping on the top of the retained sections. It is a stylish finishing touch.
7) The same bottom layer of retaining wall has been used throughout this modern subdivision. This house shows a mix of materials used in the quest for privacy, ground retention and street appeal. It was so well executed that I suspect a professional was employed to achieve this effect. The usual advice is not to mix materials but you can see the use of cobblestone bricks, timber, hedging and a relatively wide palette of plants. Prostrate plants are being used to retain the sloping bank.
First published in the Waikato Times and reprinted here with their permission.
1) In times gone by, this was the norm – a low boundary fence which allows views in while marking the territory. The owner of this house tells me her husband likes to be able to see out too. Some folk enjoy being able to chat to passers-by and like having their front garden visible to people. It is a different mind-set altogether to those who want their space to be completely enclosed. In that case privacy is sometimes only a step away from voluntary imprisonment.
2) The plastered expanse of wall has become increasingly popular with its clean modern lines and the luxury Mediterranean look. It is usually smooth plaster applied to a concrete block construction so is not a cheap option. This one is at the end of a cul de sac where it may be safe. If you construct a wall like this in a more public position, it is like an invitation to taggers, offering a perfect blank canvas.
3) We have admired this fence for many years, even though closer inspection shows its construction is pretty rough and ready. It is made out of by-product from some commercial kiln-firing enterprise. The rounds are in joined pairs and we wonder if they were stands for field tiles or similar. There are a lot of them, for this is a large wall. The variation in both colour and texture appeals and it is a creative use of waste material, though probably a one-off.
4) I mentioned in 
5) These substantial walls also show variations on the timber fence theme. The closer fence has tried for some detail with the use of concrete block pillars and footings and the shaped top to each panel. The second fence is brave although I find the colour a little garish. Maybe it will fade. The use of over-sized round posts and the top railing add emphatic detail which lifts it above cheap utility.
6) I photographed this in Auckland’s Mount Eden where I felt the traditional picket fence sat far more comfortably with the equally traditional villas than the newer options of solid walls closing in the properties. Here the owners have planted an inner hedge which they keep clipped. It gives additional height and privacy without the “in your face” unfriendliness of a solid wall. It is often a fallacy that major walls act as security. Once breached, they can equally give burglars free reign out of sight from passers-by.
Tikorangi The Jury Garden 