# Forum Home Renovation Retaining Walls  Not really a retaining wall

## oohsam

Hey guys, 
Im building decking at the moment. The edge of the deck is about 500mm from the fencline. THe land slopes down from the edge of the decking to the deck fairly steeply. I want to plant some large shrubs there. A mate of mine told me to buy some of those long metal stakes and hammer them into the ground just before the fenceline, screw some sleepers into them (The wall will be 1 sleeper high) and backfill to level it off then I can plant some plants in them.  
The job is too small to put stumps and bolt sleepers in and really not worth it, so although it sounds a bit dodgy it will do the job, and take the pressure off the fence. I have included some photos.  
You can see where the end of the deck is...as the holes are there.  
Some advice or alternate ideas would be great. 
cheers guys.

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## silentC

Any reason it has to be level? I mean, why not just plant them as it is?

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## oohsam

No...No reason at all actually....I just thought it would look nicer once the deck was done if it were level.
and I wanted to put some top soil down there, as the quality of the soil is not great, it has alot of rock in it and there is a bit of clay. That area of the land is fill from when they cut my block so once the wall was up I was going to backfill with topsoil to help the shrubs grow..

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## silentC

Fair enough. Well, if it's only one sleeper high, I don't see an issue with it. I've got actual retaining walls here that are made from a single sleeper on edge held in place with a 600mm length of the same in a post hole and back filled and rammed with the blunt end of a crowbar. I think it looks a bit less rural than using star pickets, but your's wont be seen anyway. If you go with star pickets, I'd just use the short ones - 600mm.

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## oohsam

Great. I'll get to it then. Just wanted a second opinon. If it were 2 sleepers high it would need posts right? Or could I get away with it...
Just making sure...

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## Terrian

> Great. I'll get to it then. Just wanted a second opinon. If it were 2 sleepers high it would need posts right? Or could I get away with it...
> Just making sure...

  2 sleepers high would need longer star stakes, say about 1.0m long, 400mm above ground, 600mm in ground and if it were me, I would use 3 star stakes per sleeper length  
1 sleeper high will be fine, though I would be tempted to break the ground up a bit with a mattock...

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## oohsam

Terrian. Thanks for the advice. I will measure how high i need to go tomorrow. Im thinking it will be 1 - 1.5 sleepers high, so I might just go the 2 to be safe.  
1 meter stakes will be fairly easy with a depth of 600mm... 
Why break the ground up? I dont see the need.

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