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Kia Ora Team!
I'm looking for some advice on how I could flatten/make the garden more accessible. I've considered putting terraces - essentially mini retaining walls.
We have considered putting in three rectangular flattened sections.
I'm open to any ideas!
Hi @SamB,
Thanks for sharing the photo, that really helps. You’ve got a fairly steep site there with the building already elevated on posts, so terracing is absolutely the right line of thinking if you want to make the space more usable and safer to move around.
Given the slope and what looks like loose fill and weed mat already in place, trying to “flatten” it in one go wouldn’t be realistic or stable. Creating a series of stepped terraces with small retaining walls is the most practical and durable solution. Three rectangular platforms is a sensible idea, and it would let you break the height into manageable sections rather than fighting the whole slope at once. Each terrace can then be designed with a clear purpose, for example access paths, planting areas, or even a small lawn or seating zone.
From the photo, drainage will be critical. Any retaining walls you install will need proper drainage behind them so water doesn’t build up and push them over time. That usually means free-draining material like crushed rock behind the wall, geotextile to keep soil out, and a way for water to escape downslope. Without this, even well-built walls can fail. Because you’re already seeing erosion and exposed soil, addressing water movement will make a big difference to long-term stability.
In terms of materials, you could go with treated timber sleepers for a more natural look or concrete sleepers for maximum longevity. The height of each mini retaining wall matters too. Keeping individual walls relatively low makes them easier to build, cheaper, and less likely to need engineering approval, depending on your local council rules.
Access between levels is another thing to think through early. Steps built into the terraces or along one side will make the space far more practical than relying on the slope itself. Given the building above, you may also want to think about how water currently runs off the roof and where it ends up, as that will affect how the new garden beds behave.
You’re definitely on the right track, and this is a project that can be staged over time rather than done all at once. If you can sketch out roughly where you’re thinking the three flat sections would go and how high each one might be, that would make it much easier to give you more specific guidance on wall types, heights, and construction details.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
