Garden on a slope... (any gardening experts)

[vkurup]

We went house viewing and saw an interesting house. The house needs a bit of work but it is in our preferred area. The most 'interesting' bit about the house (and potentially the reason for not achieving the sale) is the garden. The house is on a hill and the garden backs down the hill. It is about one third of an acre, but it is steep. It is currently overgrown, but there are no trees with TPOs on them.

My back of the fag pack says the length of the garden is about 250 feet. If i stand at the bottom of the garden and look at the house, I am looking at an elevation of about 25-30 feet. It is all overgrown, so difficult to see at the moment. The first 50 feet or so is flat and then it starts falling off the cliff (literally)

As an engineer, I can think of all the different things that you can do with the house, but I am a numpty when it come to a garden. Any gardening experts out there who can suggest things. We are wondering if we should put an offer on not. It is on top of our budget too - but it will definitely go up in value due to location location location.

 

[CMAC]

steep gardens can have levels like shelves, which work very well, needs a digger and some cash but that can be factored into the buy price, or just grass it and pay local compnay to cut it weekly in summer and every 6 weeks in winter.

Key thing nowadays is have your house on a hill and have the slope going away from you- its only going to get wetter.

post a pic if you can of slope severity

 

[vkurup]

steep gardens can have levels like shelves, which work very well, needs a digger and some cash but that can be factored into the buy price, or just grass it and pay local compnay to cut it weekly in summer and every 6 weeks in winter.

Key thing nowadays is have your house on a hill and have the slope going away from you- its only going to get wetter.

post a pic if you can of slope severity

Not bought it yet.. so cant.. Cant take a pic from the bottom of the garden as it is very overgrown and does not help. There is an unmade road behind the house that can be used to access the 'garden' for a digger... (though dynamite might just be easier)

 

[CMAC]

Not bought it yet.. so cant.. Cant take a pic from the bottom of the garden as it is very overgrown and does not help. There is an unmade road behind the house that can be used to access the 'garden' for a digger... (though dynamite might just be easier)

estate agent schedule?

 

[vkurup]

estate agent schedule?

The marketing material conveniently avoids the topic except that it sits on a 'generous' 0.3 acre of land ... Caveat emptor ...

 

[London mike 61]

As CMAC said earlier , it's best to tier the garden so that you create two or three flat level areas .

This can be done with sleepers or brick retaining walls and a small digger for a days hire should do the job.

It works like this; build a wall on a low part of the slope a suitable area away from the first flat level ( this could be the house or if an area has already been created then from that point ) and take the soil from the high are and fill in the retaining wall area until its flat ( ish ).

Continue down the slope until you feel it's impractical to continue building retaining wall and filling in etc, you may end up with a small boggy area at the bottom but could always put a shed down there on a slab of concrete.

 

[Rooter]

will get you a pic of my bro in laws, his is on 4 levels and is pretty amazing. They are just about to install a slide to get from level 1 back to the house!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The garden can be terraced quite easily but my main concern would be flooding.........give it a lot of thought.

 

[vkurup]

The garden can be terraced quite easily but my main concern would be flooding.........give it a lot of thought.

The house is on top rather than bottom... So I m assuming there should not be a risk... Or should I ?

will get you a pic of my bro in laws, his is on 4 levels and is pretty amazing. They are just about to install a slide to get from level 1 back to the house!

Luv the idea.. But in this house, the slope goes away...

 

[sev112]

It's not in Giuildford on a landslips is it ?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The house is on top rather than bottom... So I m assuming there should not be a risk... Or should ?

Always a risk with water run off, depends on the way the house is built in relation to the land.

Golden rule is 'water runs downhill at it's lowest point'

 

[vkurup]

It's not in Giuildford on a landslips is it ?

Now that just put a spanner in the works... Very valid point. How does one check for landslide and related subsidence before buying? We can ask for it during the structural survey, but is there a cheaper way? The vendor has lived there for 40yrs so would say it has none. But we would be looking to extend it to the back, so very likely to need pile drivers et al. The property on the left hand side is about 20 feet lower elevation as this one ( I am assuming they will have some sort of retaining wall - need to check

 

[sev112]

Now that just put a spanner in the works... Very valid point. How does one check for landslide and related subsidence before buying? We can ask for it during the structural survey, but is there a cheaper way? The vendor has lived there for 40yrs so would say it has none. But we would be looking to extend it to the back, so very likely to need pile drivers et al. The property on the left hand side is about 20 feet lower elevation as this one ( I am assuming they will have some sort of retaining wall - need to check

If you send me a map with location I'll check against the published geology map and give you and indication of likelihood from that - we know what typical ground conditions give the probs

Ask your surveyor as well.

 

[dontfancythisputt]

Something that I have just recently been involved with that is a bit different

Similar situation, but not quite as much fall (15feet). chap built a cheap ish gabion (stone basket) wall close to the bottom of the garden then Put two very cheap shipping containers in front on the wall, buried the whole lot to achieve a flatish lawn area. steps down one side and a few new doors on the containers (painted green), bit of electric for lighting and such and you are left with a flat lawn and two huge storage shed.

It depends a bit on what you have each side but turned out to be a good idea in the end.

that's the general idea bit extra design required to ensure the new earth stays in place but just and idea.

edit: you of course need to be able to get the containers and building materials to the bottom of the garden somehow.

 

[vkurup]

If you send me a map with location I'll check against the published geology map and give you and indication of likelihood from that - we know what typical ground conditions give the probs

Ask your surveyor as well.

Grand.. PM sent..

 

[DaveM]

Something that I have just recently been involved with that is a bit different

Similar situation, but not quite as much fall (15feet). chap built a cheap ish gabion (stone basket) wall close to the bottom of the garden then Put two very cheap shipping containers in front on the wall, buried the whole lot to achieve a flatish lawn area. steps down one side and a few new doors on the containers (painted green), bit of electric for lighting and such and you are left with a flat lawn and two huge storage shed.

It depends a bit on what you have each side but turned out to be a good idea in the end.

that's the general idea bit extra design required to ensure the new earth stays in place but just and idea.

edit: you of course need to be able to get the containers and building materials to the bottom of the garden somehow.

What a great idea.

 

[vkurup]

Something that I have just recently been involved with that is a bit different

Similar situation, but not quite as much fall (15feet). chap built a cheap ish gabion (stone basket) wall close to the bottom of the garden then Put two very cheap shipping containers in front on the wall, buried the whole lot to achieve a flatish lawn area. steps down one side and a few new doors on the containers (painted green), bit of electric for lighting and such and you are left with a flat lawn and two huge storage shed.

It depends a bit on what you have each side but turned out to be a good idea in the end.

that's the general idea bit extra design required to ensure the new earth stays in place but just and idea.

edit: you of course need to be able to get the containers and building materials to the bottom of the garden somehow.

luv the idea... unfort cant do for us as we wont be able to get a container onto the backgarden... (unless Ikea does shipping containers)

 

[London mike 61]

luv the idea... unfort cant do for us as we wont be able to get a container onto the backgarden... (unless Ikea does shipping containers)

If it is within reach then a crane would lift one in place, assuming it could get to a access road nearby. Probably lift it over houses if need be.

 

[Rooter]

here you go, round my bro in laws now, 4 tiers, low one gives access from side of house, then deck outside of patio, level 3 is astroturfed with more patio and the very top is just planted. Looks fantastic, my pics from indoors dont do it justice, but shows what can be done on what may first be seen as an impossible garden.. They are getting a slide fitted from the astro level, down to the bottom level soon!!

 

[vkurup]

here you go, round my bro in laws now, 4 tiers, low one gives access from side of house, then deck outside of patio, level 3 is astroturfed with more patio and the very top is just planted. Looks fantastic, my pics from indoors dont do it justice, but shows what can be done on what may first be seen as an impossible garden.. They are getting a slide fitted from the astro level, down to the bottom level soon!!

View attachment 11935

View attachment 11936

View attachment 11937

Tnx scooter... Can you practice chipping or flop shots? Luv the idea of slide... Mrs is impressed too. I m trying to convince her to have one level of artificial putting green and (lower) level for a bunker... It is yet to get thru the force field.. Also can u email me the pics, difficult to see as thumbnails

Sev112.. Any luck