Planters built into patio
fionac
Posts: 2
Any advice regarding building a patio with built in planters at the edges (to act as a barrier to avoid folk stepping off the end). Patio height will be about 600mm from ground. Top of planters to be flush with patio height . Particularly interested in (1) how to approach drainage - eg would filling in half the planter with rubble be appropriate? And (2) materials to use for constructing the planters? Is simple blockwork likely to be sufficient or are there additional factors to consider? Thank you in advance for any thoughts you have.
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Posts
You could put about 300 mm rubble into the planters. It will help drainage and reduce the amount of soild you will need to import. You don't say what size the planters are going to be, but the sides will certainly be more secure if reinforcing rods are incorporated into the blockwork. 600 mm of rubble and soil will apply quite a bit of pressure to the blockwork.
The beds will need adequate drainage holes at the bottom, to allow them to drain.
Sounds like a lovely idea
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you both.
Presumably the planters will just be open boxes built on the earth underneath the decking.? Drainage shouldn't be a major problem unless the ground is very compacted. I would think about 6 inches if rubble etc would do. have you thought about what you are going to plant in them? If it's only annuals then you will not need much soil but if you are thinking small shrubs, perennials etc the more root run the better.
i have a bed made out of cement blocks, 3 blocks high, maybe 4 but I can't remember, laid on their side, and just laid dry, no cement, and it's not moved. It's about 6 foot long So you don't need to be too precious about the build.