How to build garden bed beside pool?

[b3ngammin]

hello, I’m wanting to do a garden bed between my new retaining wall and pool.

i have about 200mm to fill up to the pool slab. My question is do I need drainage even though there is drainage on the other side of the retaining wall. And then what is the proper process to have a garden bed there white white river rocks on top.

thanks.

[Jason]

Apologies that you haven't had a response to your questions as yet @b3ngammin.

Let me tag some helpful members to see if they can share their thoughts with you: @Dave-1, @JoeAzza, @Nailbag, @TedBear.

One of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts will also assist as soon as possible.

A heads-up that we have a number of step-by-step guides that show how to build raised garden beds. You can check them out on our How To section filtering by Building and Construction and Garden. 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We're pleased to have you join us.

Jason

[Dave-1]

Good morning @b3ngammin 

Thats a nice pool area  

Yes i would suggest to have drainage, water from the flat surface around the pool plus splashing/pouring rain will all end up wanting to go somehwere and that is generally going to be the edge of the area.

I would suggest a socked agi pipe, something along this type Vinidex 100mm x 20m Socked Slotted Draincoil I like the 100mm as I find it easier to work with to connect to stormwtare or pipe it away. With your 200mm gap/garden bed area, it would be perfect. Gravel bed by 30mm depth(8mm size) then pipe, backfill until just over the top of the pipe by 20mm. Then the white pebbles on top. That way there is no way the water will pool. You will need to make sur ethat the end of the pipe will drain somewhere freely is all.

Note - Connection to stormwater pipe will require a plumber. 

Dave

[EricL]

Hello @b3ngammin 

My apologies for the late reply. It's great that you've received excellent advice from @Dave-1. I totally agree with his suggestion of installing a socked agi-pipe for proper drainage. Linking to a storm water drain is essential especially if the amount of water coming out is significant. If you are looking to box it up, I propose using either 200 x 50mm Sleeper H4 Sienna MicroPro 2.4m or the pavers you've used to surround your pool. This is on the condition that you have some left to create a small, raised wall for the garden.

Here are some handy guides that will help:

• How to choose the right soil for your plants by @Noelle 
• How to determine soil health by @Noelle 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[b3ngammin]

Hey Dave and the Bunnings team!

thanks for the reply! What if I don’t have any stormwater point to connect that pipe to. The landscapers did drainage behind that new small retaining wall I got built but I’m sure they didn’t run it to any stormwater pipe because there isn’t any stormwater pipe there. I was just going to get them to do that garden bed area but they quoted me too high and I felt like I can do it a lot lot cheaper. I did ask them before they left if I would need some drainage there and they told me that I had soft enough soil not the water would just seep through but I don’t think that’s too good right beside the new pool. that’s why I’ve come to this form haha.

could I just park the agg pipe out the other side and let it drain down the backyard? Also what is the process? Do I need to put plastic down, gravel and then agg pipe?

[EricL]

Hello @b3ngammin 

I believe @Dave-1's suggestion is ideal. Gravel bed by 30mm depth (8mm size) then pipe, backfill until just over the top of the pipe by 20mm. Then geofabric followed by garden soil and topped with white pebbles. My best advice is to make sure that the pipe is pointing towards a slope where the water will run away from the pool.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @b3ngammin 

Personally I wouldn't worry about installing an additional drainage system within the new garden bed. You already have one on the other side and the garden bed is only 200mm deep and starts below the pool paved area. As long as you have builders plastic on the garden side to stop any seepage of soil at the posts then I think your right to go as is and go the river pebbles fill.

Nailbag

[b3ngammin]

Just wanted to fill you in! I did 65mm agg pipe loop with gravel then soil. 

tackel this over the weekend and I’m stoked wit it!!

 

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @b3ngammin 

Thank you very much for the update, the pebble garden looks great.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[b3ngammin]

Actually I do have another question Erric. 

I actually just posted this in another thread, but I just ask you on this thread.

G’day guys I was just wondering if you could guide me on how to drill out possibly a 10 to 12 mil hole on porcelain tile that is on top of a concrete slab.   I’m wanting to install a batten fence on my pool slab but it requires 12 mil stainless rods to Kemset in to the slab. I just don’t know how to properly drill out a 12 mil hole out of a porcelain tile that is stuck on a concrete slab. Like if I use the diamond tip holesaw type drillbit I’m still gonna have porcelain tile stuck there. How do I properly remove that so that I can hammer drill into the slab once drilled through the porcelain tile.

  

 hopefully i’ve made sense with all this haha.