[Eblana]

Looking for a bit of advice please.

The garden in my new house is on a steep slope.  We needed to get a shed in so while we had the mini digger in levelling the pad for it to go on we dug out the foundation’s for some retaining walls to decrease the slope.  Two of these retaining walls will create a 4 ft wide by 4 ft deep bed which I need to fill.  I had to cut back a large amount of shrubbery which was coming in from my neighbors garden, I have asked them and they don’t want it back.  A local guy wants €100 to take it away.  Could I cut it up and put it in the bottom of the raised bed.  There is ivy amongst the shrubbery will the it manage to root under 4 ft of soil and grow?

[moose]

I'd be wary about the ivy, but have a look at the German Hugelkultur method.
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/many-benefits-hugelkultur

[Eblana]

Thanks Moose, very interesting.  I will keep the ivy out and give it a go. 

[jezza]

Hello you can hire a 3 inch chipper shredder for £100 and put the chipping in to the bottom of these or use it as a mulch when complete don't put ivy through chipper shredder it tends to wrap round blades   jezza

[jezza]

Hello if the soils very sandy would it be worth trying something called Marl it's a very fine ground clay it's mainly used for water retention on cricket wickets if your putting perennials in maybe put some round each planting hole   jezza