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Looking for front yard landscaping guidance

I have a patch of 5m X 3.2 in the front yard which I'd like to do up so I can plant some roses and other flowers. Before planting anything, I'd like to first structure it out with some garden edging and concrete sleepers in 2 rows. I have attached a plan I've put together. I wouldn't want to cut the concrete sleepers, so looking to put sleepers that would best fit in the space like Pioneer 200 x 75mm Ironbark Reinforced Concrete Sleeper which are available in 2m and 2.4m sizes

Planning to start off with some garden edging like Matrix 400 x 900mm Charcoal Foliage Garden Edging at the furthest end. Would like ideas here.
Then use concrete sleepers in a U shape to plant flowers around. Wondering if Jack 50 x 450mm Galvanised Steel Retain It Corner Post Upright Sleeper would serve the purpose?
Next I'd like to paint the posts so they don't standout due to the aluminium look. Not sure which paint to use with Ironbark sleepers.
Any fillers to fill the gaps between the sleepers and posts for the sleepers to be held firmly in the posts?

Would appreciate suggestions and improvements on how to go about this plan or any other ideas on better ways of doing the frontyard

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Comments

JacobZ

Hi @DC15 ,

This sounds like a fantastic project, and I am excited to assist.

Firstly, do you have any photos you can share of the space? Your plans look fantastic, but seeing the actual space will provide context and allow our members to see any things that may come into play that can't be seen in your plan alone.

Do the sleepers back onto a fence or is it freestanding within the garden? I'd have to see the space, but the Matrix 400 x 900mm Charcoal Foliage Garden Edging seems like a good option to create some depth to the project.

The Pioneer 200 x 75mm 1.58m Ironbark Reinforced Concrete Sleeper looks like a great option that can be used with Retain-It Corner posts and joiners; however, you'll need to use the 75mm versions as opposed to the 50mm ones that you've mentioned above and for two courses, you'll want them to be longer. I'd suggest using two of the 75 x 750mm Joiner Posts and four of the 75 x 750mm Corner Posts and concreting them into the ground.

To paint the posts, you'll have to start by cleaning them thoroughly with a degreaser and a wire brush before applying a metal primer such as this Dulux Metalshield Etch Primer.

Your best option for choosing a paint colour is to grab some colour cards from the paint section at your local store and place them against your sleepers. Pick the colour that you think suits you best and have the team at the Paint Desk mix a suitable Metal Top Coat Paint to the colour of your choice. You can then apply 1-2 coats of your paint to the sleepers.

Once the posts are concreted in and the sleepers have been installed, the standard practice is to tap a wedge, usually cut from spare timber, into the back of the sleeper upright to push the sleeper forward. This will make it sit tight against the front of the upright so there is no need for any filler. If you don't have any spare timber or wedges, these Delf 10mm Orange Builders Wedges will work, but you'll want them to sit below the level of the soil.

Allow me to tag @Dave-1, @Noyade and @TedBear for their thoughts.

You might also like to check out our Top 10 most popular raised garden beds for some ideas and inspiration.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/47120#Comment_47120

Hi @JacobZ ,

Thanks for your guidance on this project. Here a picture of the space. The sleepers would be freestanding, supported by the retains it corner and joiner posts.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/85598#Comment_85598

Hi @DC15,

Has the tap been factored into the plan for the space? Is the garden edging on the top and left side of your diagram so it is concealed but separate from the garden bed?

Keep in mind that your sleeper posts will need to be concreted in, so underground services need to be considered before digging.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/108032#Comment_108032

Hi @JacobZ ,

Extremely valuable points. I almost missed measuring that bit but was initially planning to have the sleepers of the garden bed on both sides of the pipe such that the pipe and meter will be in the garden bed since I don't have any means of cutting the concrete sleepers. Was thinking of then having a partition in the garden bed to prevent any contact between the water system and the soil, and also ensure the meter is accessible.

Alternately, I might have to edging on the left side of the tap and have the sleepers on the right side.

The start of the pipe is about 55 cm from the pathway. The entire system is about 1.2m from the pathway.

Would appreciate ideas.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/121264#Comment_121264

Hi @DC15,

As long as the water metre and tap aren't in a raised garden bed so they can still be accessed, there shouldn't be any issues, but you'll want to be very certain that the water lines don't run anywhere that you need to dig.

Can you mark the measurements and locations on your plan so I can understand a bit better?

It's a bit hard to be sure what you are saying from the description alone.

Once you've done this, I will be happy to assist you further.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/129563#Comment_129563

Hi @JacobZ ,

I've just updated the image on the post. Here's it again

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/134808#Comment_134808

Hi @DC15,

Understandably you want to use full-length sleepers to avoid cutting anything, but it is really limiting your potential and will make the front face of the garden bed look a bit odd.

You could use a Demolition Saw to cut the concrete sleepers to sizes that will make better use of the space and keep things even.

This will also allow you to have a much wider garden bed, which at a maximum width of 400mm, isn't a great use of the available space. You should be aiming for each bed to be at least 600mm wide, which opens up your options in terms of plants as a lot of medium-sized plants require a 500mm diameter for growth.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/138238#Comment_138238

Hi @JacobZ ,

I realise that it looks a bit odd due to different sleeper sizes and I'm not for it either. I've used a circular saw to cut hardwood sleepers. Considering concrete sleepers due to the longevity but I'm not sure how hard it would be to cut these concrete sleepers with a demolition saw. From checking online, my local bunnings store doesn't have it for hire.

Does Bunnings offer any stone cutting service at the local stores?

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/140529#Comment_140529

Hi @DC15,

Unfortunately no, Bunnings does not offer this service.

This Coates 230mm Cordless Demolition Saw may be available if the petrol version is not. As these saws are both available for hire in conjunction with our friends at Coates Hire, it would be worth contacting your local store to discuss. It may not show as available on our website, but it could still be possible.

You could also contact a concrete cutting company for their assistance. I imagine they could do this fairly quickly and easily.

Jacob

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/142207#Comment_142207

Good Evening @DC15

Thats a nice garden area and raised edges. I was hesitant about cutting the concrete sleepers at first (thinking of the structual makeup of them) but as @JacobZ has mentioned them, I will loose my hesitancy 🙂 )

If you look in your latest water bill (Sydney water) they actually have a diagram card in the envelope over the minimun spacing around the meter and tap. 150mm under the meter and I think it was 150mm either side of the feed in and then the feed to your house/unit. As long as its accesable there isnt an issue.

So you could have the meter within your garden bed 🙂

The only other thing is the section of garden bed that will be raised next to your driveway and the potential of the car door knocking it/blocking access. Only because it came up in another thread. I dont think your new garden bed will be too high to cause an issue but better to at least factor it in.

Dave

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/143400#Comment_143400

Thanks @Dave-1 and @JacobZ !

Extremely valuable inputs.

After looking at the weight of the 2m Concrete sleepers which are 67Kg each, I've had to drop the idea of using these sleepers since I wouldn't have much help to lift them and put them in place.

I'm looking at some alternate plans, one of them being the use of 200 x 50mm 2.4m Sleeper H4 Treated Pine Sienna MicroPro sleepers. If I have to paint these sleepers, do I start with Cabot's 2L New Timber Prep before proceeding onto next steps of applying a primer and topcoat?

With Adbri Masonry 300 x 160 x 100mm Sandstone Natural Impressions Block most forums indicate they just need to be stacked next to each other or one on top of the other to create more levels and use of a rubber mallet to ensure they are held firm. What would be a good adhesive or medium to glue them firmly?

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/144305#Comment_144305

Afternoon @DC15

🙂 Yeah trrying to figure out how to shoft weights around is always an interesting prospect. I see it as a puzzle that might be able to be solved.

I will let @JacobZ answer the painting question as I dont know enough to specify. I do tend to liek the ntural treated look as I find it blends in nicely to the landscape.

I just had a look at the Adbri Masonary blocks info, They have grooves that help lock them together when stacking. I havnt heard of people using adheisve or glue to secure them as they stack together. Adding anything between them will weaken the locking grooves I would think, therfore weakening the engineering that has gone into creating them.

As a last idea 🙂 There is always other options, How about gabion baskets for the garden area? These dont need to be huge things and Bunnings sells some pre-made Gabion basket shows a range of sizes. I have used these and they are quite easy to use as well as looking professional. The stones/bricks/rubble and even Timber offcuts I have seen used within them all look quiet nice. You can also make your own baskets easily 🙂

Check out my bookmarks under my profile and you will see a whole range of uses. The smallest cage ive seen in Bunnings that may be best for what you want is Jack 650 x 300 x 150mm Black Rectangular Gabion . There is a trick to having them all line up btw, so if you use them just let me know 🙂

Dave

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/144305#Comment_144305

Hi @DC15,

From my own experience, having foolishly done it and dealt with a sore back for days afterwards, installing concrete sleepers is not a one-person job. Without help, this is a wise decision.

The Sienna MicroPro sleepers are a great option for this project that are much more manageable alone. They can be cut with a standard timber saw, so they suit your project well.

It is best not to paint sleepers in retaining wall applications as it will inhibit their ability to breathe and shed moisture which can lead to premature rot.

You might like to have a look at the advice given in How best to colour AND protect treated pine retaining walls as there is some good advice and discussion on this topic.

The installation instructions for the Adbri Natural Natural Impressions Blocks do not call for an adhesive, as the lip on the back edge locks everything in place, but for added peace of mind, this Liquid Nails Landscape Adhesive is the way to go. Check out the below diagram for a cross-section of a retaining wall using the Natural Impressions blocks.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/144959#Comment_144959

Thanks @JacobZ !

Good to know that the Adbri Natural Natural Impressions Blocks lock in well. So I can avoid any adhesive.

With the painting of Sleepers I'm a bit confused. The other forum has few suggestions to avoid painting and some have suggested to use a water-based paint and even with the water-based paint, some indicate rot on the backward side.

In your experience, how long do these sleepers last without any paint? And if painted, what would be the steps to proceed.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/145475#Comment_145475

Hi @DC15,

The treatment includes an antifungal element that allows the timber to get wet without rotting. The concern with painting the sleeper is that it creates a non-porous coating that will trap water inside the sleeper. H4 treatments allow timber to get wet, but they are not designed for timber to be constantly wet, so locking moisture inside the timber is not ideal.

H4-treated timber can reasonably be expected to last 15-20 years without any additional coating or maintenance. Painting them will likely decrease this life expectancy for the above-mentioned reason.

If you went with timber sleepers, I would advise against painting them.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/145879#Comment_145879

Thanks @JacobZ!

I purchased some end posts for the sleepers Jack 50 x 750mm Galvanised Steel Retain It Sleeper Upright End Post. When I tried to put one of the 200mm X 50mm sleepers through the post, I noticed the width of the posts is more than 60mm and the sleeper wasn't upright in the post.

Would the Jack 450mm Heavy Duty Steel Sleeper Peg Flat Stake be a better option to support the H4 sleepers or do I need to use some packing in the post to keep the sleepers upright?

https://www.bunnings.com.au/jack-50-x-450mm-galvanised-steel-retain-it-sleeper-upright-end-post_p1100442

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/146193#Comment_146193

Hi @DC15,

The sleeper uprights are made with a little bit of play as the timber can expand and contract depending on the moisture content of the timber and the temperature. If they were perfectly 50mm, there would be no play, so people would experience more issues trying to slot them in place.

The standard procedure is to put the sleeper in place, then knock a wedge or packer into the back of the upright to push the sleeper forward against the front of the upright.

The sleeper posts are a much stronger option than the flat stakes, which I would only use for single-level sleeper borders.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

DC15

Completed the makeover of the front yard sometime early last year. Thanks @JacobZ and @Dave-1 for all your inputs!

Some pictures of the completed project from March 2025 with Roses, Osteospermum, Argyranthemum, geraniums, Lavender, Lemon Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle, Calendula

And the view after 6 months

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/61562#Comment_61562

Good Morning @DC15

🙂 Looks great! Now you say March 2025 🙂 and just re-reading it there is another 6 months afterwards 😀 That is spectacular!

So a question I pretty much always ask, is there anything you would change if you did it again?

So much nicer having something in front other then solid dirt 🙂 Much cooler!

I wouldnt prune the crepe myrtle for a few years (until its double its height and a bit) and then every second year depending on its growth. Nice choice 🙂

Dave

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/61562#Comment_61562

Hi @DC15,

I just wanted to place some before and after photos right next to each other so I could really take in how impressive the transformation is, even without the flowers being in full bloom just yet.

Now that they are blooming, you would surely have the most beautiful front garden in the entire neighbourhood. Truly a paradise for bees and pollinators.

You've done a truly fantastic job and I'm glad that Dave and myslef could play a small part in helping you along the way.

Thank you for sharing such a fantastic transformation.

Jacob

DC15

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/93245#Comment_93245

Thanks @Dave-1 for the tip on crepe myrtle. I'll keep that in mind.

If I would do it again, I might keep more room around the tap to make it easier to fit in a bucket and use slightly taller edging

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