Not the most long-lived of systems but wood ‘gabions’ certainly blend into the background scenery fast. In the short term, these untreated Oak framed, branch lined and rush filled supports are keeping back the natural slide of soil that occurs year on year. Soil has filled many of them so a lot of nearby tree roots have taken advantage of this.

In one location alongside the Vegetable Garden, the Wood ‘gabions’ have been left clear of soil where the structures are built alongside tree roots and within the drip area. This is to ensure the tree roots get air and the tree remains healthy.

I’ll be probably working with regular gabions of galvanised wire with stone-fill when we start work on ensuring the top road remains level. These work well and function for years as riverside protection and by roads cut with resultant steep sides. I have also noticed an article in a recent Architectural Mag. showing the use of these gabions as a wrap around wall/ wind insulation system and in one gardening program, flexible ‘rope’ light was interwoven through the stones of a set of gabions that formed garden surround seating.

~~~~~~~~~~ <+))))))))>< ~~~ waves from Grant