How to Build a Retaining Wall Border

Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University are partnering with us in our technology addiction project that stands alongside our 'Chained to Tech' garden design. At RHS Tatton Flower Show, researchers will be surveying guests to gauge their attitudes and perceptions towards our garden.

This is a BIG and expensive project! We have several retaining walls on our property that need to be redone. The photo below shows just one of the walls that is falling down (we are looking at the lower wall, light green wood).

My removable ‘outdoor air conditioner screen fence thingy’ will hide those air conditioners, allow proper air flow for the condenser, and make the AC guy happy when he sees how easy it is to remove. I made these easy and lightweight lattice screens to hang on the posts. You can easily have this project done in a weekend. So let’s get started. Here’s how to hide an air conditioner unit outside…the easy way.

Just before Christmas, Clare Matterson, director general of the RHS, wrote to ask if I would be RHS Hampton Court’s Iconic Horticultural Hero for 2023, which was both shocking and flattering in equal measure! Because of that, I was able to design a garden for the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

Deservedly one of the most popular houseplants in the UK, the peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) is relatively easy to grow and, in good condition, always looks elegant. Above a mass of large, glossy evergreen leaves that stand tall and proud, the plant intermittently sends up white arrow-shaped spathes. These petal-like bracts, which can be 15-centimetres long and resemble the sails of a ship, are not flowers, but encase the flowers proper, which are held on a spike known as a spadix. In bloom, the peace lily is reminiscent of the arum lily and our native lords-and-ladies (sometimes known as lily grass or jack-in-the-pulpit), which also belong to the arum family (Araceae); none are true lilies (Lilium).

Iris ‘Benton Olive’ in Sarah Price's garden

The steep stairs at the top of the deck were wide open and with a new puppy who loves to run, a gate was essential for his safety and to make sure he couldn’t run into the neighbors’ yards. I decided to create a swinging gate with a safety latch that matched the sunburst pattern on the rest of the deck. By cutting slats and attaching them in a similar pattern, I was able to produce a gate that matches perfectly with the design of the rest of the deck. It looks like it was built at the same time!

I'm going to show you how to create a low table that takes almost no effort to build today.

Retaining walls are important safety and soil conservation features in unstable sites. While some areas may require a professional or even an engineer to ensure sturdiness, less pitched and potentially dangerous areas will benefit from DIY retaining walls. You can build a retaining wall with many objects, often using ones that are found in the landscape such as rocks. Building a retaining wall on a slope should start with an assessment of landslide potential, steepness of the angle, and necessary height of the wall to contain soil. Walls in flat locations require less planning and are easier to construct safely.

You can find different creations with pallets all over the internet. From shelves, to tables, to chairs, to whatever your mind can think of. I wanted patio furniture, but did not want to spend a ton of money for it. So, we decided to jump on the pallet furniture band wagon with this 2 piece pallet sectional.

As we approach the second half of summer, borders can start to look tired and untidy, especially if you have packed them with early summer flowers, like irises, lupins and oriental poppies that have now faded. There are some simple tasks you can do now to keep your border looking good for longer. Filling any gaps in your planting and tidying away old flower stems and leaves can quickly restore a border to a healthy and colourful display that can last right through to autumn.

A former AIB banker-turned-gardener says he feels “like a five-year-old getting presents” after winning a major award as well as a prestigious gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.