Hardscaping in Lower Broadheath: Walls, Steps and Raised Beds
The structure of a garden is what everything else sits on. In a village such as Lower Broadheath, where gardens are often large, the structural work might be a retaining wall to hold a bank, steps to join two levels or raised beds set out along a sunny boundary. Larger plots often include banks, boundaries and changes of level that a smaller town garden never has to deal with.
We build retaining walls, raised beds, steps and drainage for homes in Lower Broadheath and nearby Broadheath, Martley and Hallow. Larger plots mean the work often has to be planned in sections, which gives time to get each stage right.
Walls, steps and levels
A retaining wall is only as sound as its foundation and drainage behind it. Water pressing against a wall is what usually causes failure, so we build in free-draining backfill and an outlet for the water to escape. Block, brick or natural stone can be used for the face, while the structure behind it does the real work.
Steps on a longer garden route should have an even rise and a comfortable depth, with a firm base. Handrails or lighting can be discussed where the route gets used after dark.
- Footings sized for the height and load of the wall
- Free-draining material and outlets behind retaining walls
- Even risers and treads on garden steps
- Sleeper or brick raised beds at a workable height
- Proper capping or coping to finish the top neatly
Drainage on open, exposed plots
Open rural gardens catch a lot of rain, and ground that holds water can ruin a lawn, a patio or a vegetable bed. Soakaways and channel drains move surface water away from where you need dry ground. Where possible, outlets run to a soakaway or lower ground that can accept the water without causing problems for neighbours.
We look at how water behaves on your plot during the free site visit, then suggest the simplest drainage that deals with it.
- Soakaways sized for the area they serve
- Channel drains where hard surfaces meet the house
- Gravel trenches to carry water across lawns
Hardscaping ideas
Illustrative examples of the styles and materials we install. See the full gallery.
Helpful guides
Retaining Walls, Raised Beds and Sleepers Explained
Retaining walls, sleepers, raised beds, steps and edging: materials, limits, drainage and when to call an engineer.
Read the guideGarden Drainage Solutions: Soakaways, Drains and Channels
Surface water causes, channels, French drains, soakaways and permeable paving, and where water should go.
Read the guideOther work we do in Lower Broadheath
Hardscaping near Lower Broadheath
Hardscaping in Lower Broadheath: common questions
Do I need a retaining wall or will a bank hold itself?
That depends on the slope and the ground. A gentle grassed slope may be fine, but steeper banks or ground that is cut into for a patio normally need a properly built wall. Taller walls or those holding back a driveway or building may need engineering advice, so we raise that early.
Can raised beds be built in sleepers or brick?
Yes, both are common. Sleepers suit a more rustic setting, while brick or block walls give a longer-lasting, tidier edge. We can talk through which suits the house. Sleepers should be suitable for ground contact, and we fix them so they cannot bow outwards over time.
Hardscaping quote in Lower Broadheath
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