Gabion Planter on sloping land

Discussion in 'Landscaping' started by ASXGJ1, 7th Feb, 2022.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
  1. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    hi,

    everyone, I am trying to put a planter on my sloping land. however instead of building traditional retaining wall stuff I am interested to do something like gabion wall DYI.

    as you can see in the screenshot below, the planter will sit between two property but on downward sloping ground (image is not my property but mine is similar).

    upload_2022-2-7_20-13-52.png

    I am looking to do something like this:

    upload_2022-2-7_20-17-57.png

    I am removing all existing kikiyu and replacing it with artificial lawn and then planning to put this on top of artificial lawn. This planter comes in 1m height with 0.5m width.

    question is can i simply buy this and put on top of new artifical lawn and then fill with rocks? or i need to do something to level the ground in a way that it rest on it properly?
     
  2. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

    Joined:
    3rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,331
    Location:
    Perth
    You will probably need to have something like compacted road base underneath it to give a stable base - that can be part of the prep for the artificial lawn though. Not sure how well it will handle slope.

    If the wall is going in between 2 properties and it's in the front setback area near a driveway please be careful and check if the height is allowable. In our state we are only allowed a height of 750mm (or less in some councils) so that vehicles have clear line of site of pedestrians/children/cyclists when reversing
     
    qak and Lizzie like this.
  3. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    asking council anything is pain in axx and i am sure it is the case everywhere, so i am not going to ask but simply put it there as my property is lower then my neighbour it won't fall on neighbour side.

    you are right the contractor for artificial lawn will do road base before putting artificial lawn. the only reason i am putting this on top of the lawn is because in-case it didn't look good or something goes wrong after 6 months then i can simply remove it and restore the lawn which probably won't in good state but i can put another piece on top of it.

    i would have asked trady to come and do it but they cost arm and leg these days. i am happy to lose $150 for the gabion as it will be used somewhere else.
     
  4. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

    Joined:
    3rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,331
    Location:
    Perth
    I thought gabions were a lot more expensive than $150!
     
  5. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    5th Apr, 2016
    Posts:
    5,751
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Is the gas ion going g to
    You can get gabion planters from Kogan!
     
  6. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    they are cheap if you buy size they sell on online. search them on catch.com.

    most items are made costly by tradies and bunnings together.
     
  7. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

    Joined:
    3rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,331
    Location:
    Perth
    Oh it's just for the metal part and presumably flat pack so you need to put it together.
     
  8. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,319
    Location:
    Sydney
    It isnt a great look for freestanding use. Its a retaining wall product. Imagine stacking a row of landcsape blocks in the centre of your yard and its inherent instability... It could easily fall as its high weight on a narrow base and has no stability. ie a kid or adult who tries to sit on it or climb over it or place a heavy object against it. The weight needs some foundation support like concrete not just roadbase due to the mass load - 1-2 Tonnes per m2 ? . Not for direct to earth use. It will sink unevenly or could collapse. That image of plants is misleading. How does that retain soil ? Weeds ? Grass / weeds will grow up inside it.
     
    Sackie, Lizzie and wylie like this.
  9. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW

    my actual reason to build is that i got weirdo living next door who does blowing of tree leaves almost twice a week or even more sometimes and shamelessly he blow it all on my side.

    now, to stop i have to build retaining wall but it is costing arm and leg so i searched on internet and this provides best cheap solution and it won't look that bad either as it is not in centre of property. it will be placed on the boundary and plant on top would/could look good.

    rock inside the gabion will provide stability and kids won't sit on it there isn't much space to sit as it is simply 50cm wide with plant in between so not much left either side.

    my only worry is would it bend with the slop? would the metal very strong or it can take shape of ground. see below one with dimension.

    upload_2022-2-8_13-49-21.png
     
  10. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW

    i also have same question whether it comes as flatpack because normal people can't make gabion out of metal mesh.
     
  11. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    13,932
    Location:
    Brisbane
    What about speaking with the leaf blowing neighbour and see if he might direct the leaves to the street rather than into your property?
     
  12. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    well, i tried and answer was we don't intentionally blow it that way but sometime wind take all the leaves... ! now the neighbour property has tree but his garden is leaves free because he blow everything on street and my side.

    their other side neighbour has retaining wall so he can't blow it that side and that is why i wanted to built retaining wall initially, but to do that i have to remove existing concrete edging, then build footing for each post plus, material cost of wood & metal which was all together around $1500 for 5m wall so i thought this type of planter would do the job and we can grow some flowers as well on top.

    alternative to gabion is to buy normal metal planter and put them next to each other but gabion looks different and better then normal metal planter.
     
  13. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    5th Apr, 2016
    Posts:
    5,751
    Location:
    Melbourne
    You will need to place it on a flat surface.
     
  14. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW

    that is what i am think as well but if i can find something like below then it would solve the problem but bigger problem is that i couldn't find any off the shelf like this .. :(

    upload_2022-2-8_15-9-19.png
     
  15. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,319
    Location:
    Sydney
    Note how it has fill on one side and is wide for stability. That application beside a driveway seems a hazard. Imagine old nanna backing out and rolling her car.

    Made to order design ? Landscape Supplies

    Labour and rocks costs to fill :-(
     
    ASXGJ1 likes this.
  16. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    5th Apr, 2016
    Posts:
    5,751
    Location:
    Melbourne
    I was thinking that the slope on your land was the other way.
     
  17. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    Yup, that's why I need to do it inversely
     
  18. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    13,932
    Location:
    Brisbane
    What about buying a leaf blower and just blow the leaves from your yard to the corner and pick them up, or blow them into the street. I won't even suggest blowing them back into the neighbour's yard. :D
     
    Scott No Mates likes this.
  19. ASXGJ1

    ASXGJ1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    28th Jul, 2021
    Posts:
    675
    Location:
    NSW
    well honestly, i can do all those but building a retaining wall or planter will resolve all my problem because i don't have tree on my property and the only reason they keep getting into my property is because neighbour blow his leaves into mine.

    if you remember my concrete post then i can tell you that i used some part of my property concrete simply so he can't blow dirt under the fence to my property and it is working .. !
     
  20. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,319
    Location:
    Sydney
    Buy a vac. Then empty it on the neigbours side.
     
    ASXGJ1 likes this.