Levelling Back Garden

cletus

I've a pretty small back garden, roughly 11 yards wide and 7 yards deep. When the house was being built, the developer didn't want to have to pay the block layers (boundary walls are all block) to lay the last row of blocks to bring the wall to 6', so instead the garden slopes down 12-14" from the back of the house to the back boundary wall. Its pretty significant, and makes the garden mostly unusable.

I plan on levelling it this summer, have topsoil priced etc, but I have a couple of questions.

First, can I lay the top soil over the existing grass, or do I need to rotivate etc.

Secondly, will a length of wavin piping along the back wall with holes drilled in it, and perhaps filled with stone soffice as some form of drainage. The garden as it is does not water log in the summer, but can be a bit mucky in the winter (but we've a dog so its possible he is responsible for at least some of this)

Any other hint, tips or info will be greatly appreciated

blast06

cletus wrote: »

I've a pretty small back garden, roughly 11 yards wide and 7 yards deep. When the house was being built, the developer didn't want to have to pay the block layers (boundary walls are all block) to lay the last row of blocks to bring the wall to 6', so instead the garden slopes down 12-14" from the back of the house to the back boundary wall. Its pretty significant, and makes the garden mostly unusable.

I plan on levelling it this summer, have topsoil priced etc, but I have a couple of questions.

First, can I lay the top soil over the existing grass, or do I need to rotivate etc.

Secondly, will a length of wavin piping along the back wall with holes drilled in it, and perhaps filled with stone soffice as some form of drainage. The garden as it is does not water log in the summer, but can be a bit mucky in the winter (but we've a dog so its possible he is responsible for at least some of this)

Any other hint, tips or info will be greatly appreciated

Is the land behind the boundary wall at the same current level as your garden .... if so then obviously your garden will be higher than it when finished and i doubt you would need the drain as it would drain out into the lower land .... once you drill a few small holes at the bottom of boundary wall before you add the topsoil
If you would go with the drain then get drainage pipe - not wavin pipe with drilled holes

cletus

There's a drop of a couple of feet beyond the boundary wall, so drilling holes it will be. Thanks for the reply

blast06

You could also consider putting a couple of lengths of drainage pipe running at 90 degrees to the back wall (running into it) given that you will be digging up the garden. Should ensure it would never be saturated

cletus

Thats one of the things I wanted to know actually. Can i just barrow in the topsoil and start filling in, or do i need to rotivate, or as you suggest dig up completely

blast06

I'm no expert but i wouldn't see an issue in just putting the top soil down on top of the existing garden ...... and i'd still put in 2 lengths of 7 yard drainage pipe with some drainage stone so thus digging up 2 channels 7 yards long by about a foot wide.
Willl there ever be anything built behind your back boundary wall where a say another house with a garden backing on to yours could ultimately be a small big higher than your garden ?!!

cletus

No, farm land behind, no risk of anything being built, and a nice view to boot

Thanks very much for the advice