Weekend Garden Projects Built to Last
A Curved Railway Sleeper Wall by the MyGardenTeam
At GardenAdvice, our MyGardenTeam service regularly supports clients and members at weekends, helping to move garden projects forward efficiently and professionally. These projects range from detailed planting schemes through to more technical landscaping and construction work.
One of this weekend’s projects has been the construction of a curved railway sleeper wall, where the challenge was not only achieving a smooth, flowing curve but also ensuring the wall was structurally sound and built to last.
Curved walls can add real visual interest to a garden, softening hard landscaping and helping features sit more naturally within the landscape. However, when a wall is retaining even a small slope or bank, appearance must always be matched with sound construction. In most cases, retaining walls fail not because of the weight of the soil behind them, but because of water pressure building up within that soil.
For this reason, careful consideration was given to both foundations and drainage. In this project, the railway sleepers form the visible face of the wall while also acting as shuttering for a reinforced concrete wall and foundations constructed behind them. This approach combines the warmth and character of timber sleepers with the strength and longevity of reinforced concrete.
To further protect the structure, a perforated land drain was installed at the base of the wall to collect groundwater and direct it safely into the garden’s existing drainage system at the end of the wall. This ensures water does not build up behind the structure, greatly reducing long-term pressure and risk of movement.
The finished result is a wall that follows a clean, elegant curve, looks entirely natural within the garden, and — most importantly — is engineered to stand the test of time.
If you are planning a garden project, whether it involves planting, landscaping, or construction, it is well worth considering joining the GardenAdvice MyGardenTeam service. Alternatively, our GardenAdvice one-day gardening courses provide practical, hands-on guidance for those who want to develop their own skills and confidence.
For further information, please visit:
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/
