Your opinion on this loose stone wall

darrenheaphy

I recently created a corner in the garden with a lovely loose stone wall, back filled with earth in which I planted lavender (see attachment 1). I'm thinking I'll continue that wall to the left of the steps for a bit. What I'm not sure about is whether in attachment 2 I could create a wall to extend the level (by back filling with earth). Would the weight of the soil push the wall out or would I need to do put some hidden supports in the soil first?

looksee

Its not entirely clear what you are trying to do? If you create a wall as shown you will have to take the trees out and lift them, I think? Does the wall go all round that bed or does it come from somewhere else? Your other walls appear to be coping with the soil behind them - you are not so much holding the soil back as supporting the stones on a bank of soil, they will hold each other up to a large extent, what is different about the new situation?

darrenheaphy

That's true, those plants would need to be relocated and probably replaced with alpines that spill down over the (new) wall. It's something I'm still toying with, not entirely sure if it's worth it but on the other hand it'll extend the flat area in the corner for furniture etc. Here's another attachment from another angle. My overall goal is to build another wall to the left of the steps (into woodlands) as far as the eucalyptus tree and the new wall I'm discussing then is at the front where the ground turns into a slope.

You're right about the soil itself, it's not holding it back per se, it's just dirt I shoveled in behind the wall. I wasn't sure if, given this new wall is on a slope whether there's the potential for the soil to push forward against the new wall

looksee

Ah right, I see what you are at. Have you checked that height with a level? I doubt the wall would be anything as high as you are showing, but it is hard to see on a photo. I think you probably would need a bit of support in that situation though at a guess it might only need to be about 2 ft high, I would use blocks laid flat, but I am no expert! It is going to take a lot of fill to level it though.

recedite

Nice wall.
Your solution here to make a higher wall is to lean or "batter" the wall back at an angle, then you won't need any extra structural supports as you would need for a completely vertical engineered "retaining wall".

The Incas were great lads for building walls. Never used mortar, and always leaned them back slightly. Spent a ridiculous amount of time cutting bits off stones to fit exactly into other stones though.

darrenheaphy

Wow, I never really appreciated the Inca architectural method, look how precise those walls are! Thanks for the input recedite