The Secret Garden
A couple of years ago, I transformed the lower tier of our own back garden into a secret garden.
It was helped by the fact the lower tier was four feet lower than the rest of the garden, and with the addition of raising the existing radius wall 3 and half feet, my plan took full fruition.
Initially the very back of our garden was a complete tip. Someone, sometime, had attempted building works to an extremely poor standard, along with several years of neglect.
After getting fed up of having our side fences being ripped apart from the the strong winds, we receive across the farmer's field at the back of our property.
I decided, I had had enough of repairing fence panels and putting them back up! So I designed and started putting into place my project.
After great deal of time on my breaker, busting out the concrete and endless hours uprooting unwanted shrubs and old tree trunks. The time eventually arrived that I could get my foundation in for the rear wall.
300 deep x 500mm reinforced concrete beam, was the ideal foundation for my 225mm wall with 450mm piers.
As normal practise, I put a splash courses round in Semi-engineering bricks.
For the main walling I bought three different types of red bricks and mixed them up to give a multi-red finish. I built the brickwork in Flemish bond, which aesthetically is the most pleasing brick bond to the eye. It involves a lot of cutting, but the finishing walling is worth the extra effort.
I placed several brickwork features into the panels. Couple of diamonds in the back boundary wall. Triple projecting stack bonded features on the neighbouring wall.
Finished off the walls and piers with two courses of tile creasing and Class B semi-engineering Brick-on-edge.
Some people say, I'm old fashion with my love of crazing paving.
For the finishing touch, I added some stonework.
On the inner wall, I had an existing radius retaining wall, which was pretty shot. Not surprising as it was only only on inches of foundation. I underpinned it and faced it up with single skin of walling. Built it up level and then built off the existing wall. The new height of the wall gives a great veranda. Even on a wind day, there is plenty of protection out of the strong gales we receive across the field.