Fixing the Rock Walls

When we moved out here 21 years ago, I turned a weird hill in the yard into terraces separated with rock walls - the rocks were pulled out of the creek.   It was a ton [or 2 or 3 or 4] of work, but the result was well worth it. 

Alas, the sheep and renegade llama did a number on them one season  and the dogs and cats over the years knocked rocks around quite a bit. 

Mostly, the problem was that in my ignorance, I backed the walls with posts and planks.   In 20 years the wood heaved forward, pushing the walls right over.

So.   This is the year to re-do them.   Lily pulled all the rocks down and removed the wood behind them.  Then she reshaped the hill behind the walls so we could fill behind each new wall with gravel.  You can see the guide string in the pic below.  There are four walls and we are almost done with the third one.  

Lily and I restacked the rock and Claire and I filled in behind each wall with gravel.    The gravel will drain well and not heave.   The walls are too short to need footers and they should stand for a very long time - provided no livestock heavier than a cat gets on them.

They really make the terrace gardens beautiful.