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As homeowners, we take pride in preserving our gardens. Levelling a garden can end up being a hefty job, but trust us when we tell you it will make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to maintaining your garden.
It’s also an extremely practical skill that will save you a few pennies if you’re a DIY fanatic fancying a challenge. It will almost always increase the value of your property when it’s all done so it’s definitely worth it!
Read on to find out exactly how to level a garden.
When it comes to sloped or uneven lawns there are a few usual suspects that can cause the damage:
Getting a handle on the causes and issues is essential before starting the levelling process.
This article will provide a definitive guide to levelling your garden that will have all the neighbours peering over your fence with jealousy!
If you’ve been putting your heart and soul into the garden and all you’ve been rewarded with is uneven, bumpy dips then it’s time to take action.
Constantly running into problems with your drainage system is a clear sign that you need to level your garden. Drainage issues can be tricky to fix by yourself so you may need to seek advice from a landscaper.
Damaged pipes are another red flag as they have the tendency to cause uneven ground and can waterlog your garden.
The optimal time to start levelling your garden is throughout springtime. This will allow your wet soil to settle and gives your grass seed enough time to grow. You may be able to get away with a reasonable levelling during Autumn if you get lucky with the weather (bit of a gamble in Scotland!)
The most important thing to remember is making sure your soil is moist and soft before you start. We advise you water your soil a couple of days before you intend to start – if your soil is too wet it will be very difficult to work with.
You need to water your soil to a depth of at least 15cm (6 inches) to ensure it is moist enough. You can check your soil moisture depth in a number of ways:
After evaluating your garden, it’s really important that you choose the correct method of fixing the issue. This will prevent any further damage in the future.
There are two main methods: one for mending small bumps (shallow low spots) and another for deeper holes (deep low spots). Both methods require you to apply a mixture onto the damaged areas of the lawn. Referred to as the top dressing mixture, it must contain 2 parts sand, 2 parts topsoil and 1 part compost. You can make this mixture easily using a spade or a shovel.
For the small bumps (1-2cm deep):
As you may have thought, levelling deeper holes is the more complex of the two methods:
Before you make the decision to level your sloping garden, it’s handy to know that a slight downward slope in the garden is actually key to good drainage. You should have a real think about whether you need to level off your garden. Some mild to moderate slopes may not even need to be levelled off at all.
If your slope is manageable, you should look into the possibility of planting flower beds and veggies. You never want to have exposed soil, so planting flowers and vegetables will ensure your soil remains healthy and your drainage improves.
It will also save you a whole lot of time and money, as well as, making your garden more attractive and practical.
If you do opt for this route, make sure you don’t leave any soil exposed when planting as this can lead to erosion and drainage issues.
Levelling a sloping garden requires different methods depending on the severity of your slope.
One method for levelling a sloping garden is to add stair-like terraces to aid the planting of your plants and veggies etc. Terraces can also provide a great recreational space so you can show off your new and improved garden at all those summer BBQs!
If you are looking to add decking to your terrace, you can use our personalised decking calculator to get an accurate quote back within two days.
For small jobs, it can be as easy as shifting the soil already in your garden, followed by adding braces to the area where you are creating the stairs. If you feel this applies to you, there’s no need to buy fill dirt to help with the structure of the stairs.
For larger job you may want to have a chat with a landscaper to weigh up your best options.
Once that’s done, the next stage is to add your preferred brick, stone, or wood around the steps. The quicker you start planting the better, as this will help prevent your soil from eroding.
Vegetables are a great option for preventing erosion and improving your drainage. However, when it comes to protecting your soil with plants you have to be careful. Only plants with deep roots or rhizomes can keep the terraces stable as their root systems interlock beneath the soil.
Terracing steep sloping gardens require a little bit more work than just moving soil around the garden. Although, terracing your garden is still a great way to fix your slope, it requires more attention and stronger reinforcement.
It’s important to move fast when levelling a steep slope to prevent any damage to the foundation of your house. If you’re tackling the slope by yourself it’s essential that you figure out the root of the problem. Choosing the correct and appropriate measures are also very important.
Materials that can be used to level a sloping garden include:
An alternative to terracing is to build a retaining wall around the garden. It’s a great option if you’ve not got a huge deal of space, or you don’t want to go through the longer terracing process.
You’ll need to pick yourself up some fill dirt to cover the area between the natural level of your garden and your new retaining wall. We recommend that your retaining wall should be no bigger than 2ft. This is because they take a lot of pressure from the weight of the soil and rain water.
If you would like to make it a little taller, just make sure that your retaining wall leans back into the soil slightly so it has support.
You must also use sturdy materials to build your wall. The materials listed above are ideal as they guarantee strength and reliability.
There is no fixed rate as prices vary depending on a number of factors such as:
Here’s a few average landscaping costs (UK) that can help you make your decision:
These prices are all estimated quotes from online sources. In order to get an accurate price you should get in touch with your local landscaper to assess the scope of the project.
Professional costs for levelling a garden with steep slopes can be anywhere between £500-1000 depending on all of the factors listed above. Moderate slopes can cost in the region of £350-600.
Take these prices with a pinch of salt as they are all estimates. We just want to give you a faint idea of what to expect.
If you’re up for a DIY challenge, you may have to rent a grader and a sod cutter if you don’t already own them. They can set you back around £500. You’ll also need a string level, shovel and stakes which you can get for about £10.
If you are going to take it on yourself, make sure to put aside 5 days for the work. You should be honest with yourself and make sure you are capable of doing the job.
Just remember if you don’t get it right the first time it can be a very expensive project!
If you would like to know more about garden levelling or looking to revamp your garden, we’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to know more, please don’t hesitate to get in contact. Email us at sales@istaf.co.uk or phone us at 01236 727 776.
Read our complete guide to laying a new timber deck in your garden. Includes a full list of equipment and important tips.
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