What is the point in a garden being raised?

[missyoueveryday]

This is our garden (it's not as tidy now this was when we moved in!) but as you can see the garden is walled and then raised by about 1-2ft. What is the point? Neighbours either side both have flat gardens. I hate it and I find it dangerous for the kids. Is it for drainage or something?

Either as a feature or to even out a slope?

I would say drainage, but maybe there’s something buried under it.

Have they an extension? Most people I know who have raised gardens are due to this, earth is expensive to remove, so the unwanted earth is used to raise the garden.

Don't know but I like it!
It would cost loads to make it all flat.

My parents’ garden is like this, it’s because it’s on a slope and it’s more that the house/patio is dug out rather than the garden being raised.

I think it looks lovely!

I have raised beds to improve drainage and because it's a new build with terrible soil.

It looks lovely and as children get older all the little walls/ levels add to the adventure and children usually cope with what they have been brought up with.

How old are the kids? Once they're past 3, then the little walls are great to incorporate in play. Easy to make ramps to run things down, if you've got a convenient washing line or swing frame, fastening a sheet on it, weight down with stones on the little wall makes a great tent. Imaginary citadel to be stormed. I was brought up in a garden far steeper than that - we could sledge down the slopes and "climb" the 6ft high "cliffs".

Usually so that you can have a flat patio and a flat lawn on a different level, rather than the slope that would otherwise have been there.

I discounted a house for the same reason when my DC were tiny, but actually it would have only been a problem for a very short time and the garden is lovely.

A friend who has a similar arrangement, but a much higher retaining wall, has built a slide from one level to the next.

It's either a slope or rubble under the top surface. Easier to build up than it is to dig down and escavate.

We had a mixed level garden. DS did trip up a step once when small and cut his cheek. We were constantly on our guard and telling him “be careful”. It was hard work but only for the first couple of years. As pp said, little walls & different levels can then be incorporated into play.

However, I would advise anyone posting photos of their property on the internet to take new photos and upload those, rather than using photos the estate agents used, as your address can be easily found if people do a reverse image search!

It adds interest? It doesn't really look raised, just inside a wall really . You can take the front wall away and grade the grass down to the patio . We had lots of steps and drops in our old garden with 3 children toddling around, they soon adapt and learn the skills to get around safely.

It's amazing at how kids survive with all the danger identified by mumsnetters. I should never have survived childhood.

Anyway it could be to even out a slope or to hide soil, as a feature or because the local topsoil is so bad they needed to add new soil for the garden. I like it though, I do like a good retaining wall.

Ours is in 2 levels as the back garden was just a slope. The water then ran down the slope straight to the back door. 2 levels sorts this problem out

It could simply be because they like how it looks - different heights to add interest.

It couid certainly be for better drainage if it a heavy clay soil.

It doesn't look particularly hazardous for DC to me

The front wall looks like it could have a row of bricks removed to lower it. The tree could have fairy lights in the winter.