Stage 3: Building the Retaining Wall


The next step after all the big rocks were placed was to build the retaining wall. The wall was to be built using smaller rocks and cement.

Toru returned to help us.

His grinning face was an inspiration to us all!

Here he is giving us specific instructions.

 
   

Building the wall was a challenge. Each rock had to be chosen carefully, lifted onto the wall, and fixed in place.

Above Chozen and Ryushin wrestle with lifting rocks. To the right Toru mixes the cement to fix them in place.

 
Here's the completed wall. The two stones left on the concrete slabs (close to the hose) are cemented in place.
 

The next step was to fill the large areas between the new stone wall and the old cement block wall.

They were first filled with small stones and debris.

 
These small stones and debris will increase the drainage for these areas.
 
Here you can see the completed wall from above, with the stones in place (bottom right corner).
Then a plastic weed suppressing sheet was placed over the rocks and debris to prevent the soil (which would next be added) from washing away.
These sheets were then covered with soil.
Here Al (a new resident) helps Evan place the soil.
Here's the large back corner with the soil in place.
   

The next step was to prepare the upper garden for the azaleas.

Fresh topsoil and organic material was incorporated into the existing soil and turned over.

 

 

Many people helped with this, including Diane (above), Senryu and Kodo (right).

 
 

 

 
As all this was taking place, Jim continued to build up the wall around the garden.
Thanks again to everyone who has worked so hard on this garden. It is really starting to come together.
 
< Stage 2
 
©2006 Zen Community of Oregon
Updated: May 10, 2007
Designed by Michelle Bagley