[Lardman]

I've been threatening to do it for 3 years now but yesterday I started digging into the hill for tier #3. I had forgotten just how physical digging a hole is 

Looking at the picture it's as if I've hardly done anything  and that was the easy bit, Im down to subsoil now which is compacted soft sand with large stones.  It's an area about 16ft long and 8ft wide and 3ft deep - my poor border spade 

[rowan57]

You want a Canterbury Fork.

http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co.uk/heavy-duty-canterbury-fork-p126

[mumofstig]

The exercise is good for you 

[snowdrops]

Where's Max when you need him 

[Lardman]

You want a Canterbury Fork.

I've got a mattock for breaking it up but stones are so much heavier than soil 

The exercise is good for you 

Yeah right ... pull the other one (just be gentle as it's sore )!   

Where's Max when you need him 

He was asleep on the patio I built for him  and not a word of a thanks. He's not allowed in the garden off leash any more, my new neighbours have 2 small fluffy things which constantly yap, Max would love to stop them - permanently.

[Beetroot Queen]

Well done, i'll send florence she loves digging. She wont do much but she'll provide a few giggles 

Need a pic from further back to get the scale right 

[Lardman]

Need a pic from further back to get the scale right 

There are a couple of footprints from my size 12's in the picture 

The idea is to dig it out and get some footings done this year, then in the spring build a retaining wall to give me a flat 18ft terrace where the greenhouse is. Im down in subsoil so it won't be much use to grow directly in so either another greenhouse or raised beds I think. I need to finish the digging first though

[Lardman]

Many more bites of the the elephant later and I'm approaching the stage where I need to think about the retaining wall.  Which I thought would take a lot longer !

The plan is to build a 4ft wall in either an L or a U shape, but I've yet to decided what to build from. I had originally thought either 9" blocks flat for double skinned, but that's not exactly pleasing to look at. I don't mind doing it in brick but Im a little worried about the using the right brick. All the retaining walls here are very badly spalled and Id be concerned about using anything other than class b's. A 4ft wall entirely of orange class B's is going to look terrible and I don't think a 'pattern' would help I've read the brick spec's claiming F2 and S2 but I'm sceptical when the absorption rates are so high.

So who knows their bricks and blocks then - could / should I do the back in block and the front in a more aesthetic brick ?

I've had to stick 2 pictures together but it should be enough to give you an idea of the area and how in your face class b's would be.