# Culvert Landscaping



## buck_99 (Jun 22, 2011)

I'm looking at constructing something decorative on each side of our driveway culvert. I'd like to use retaining wall blocks and possibly either keep it capped with stone blocks on top or leave it open to fill with river rock or mulch. Any suggestions of how to do this and what supplies I all need? I wasn't sure if you'd need to fill the driveway "slopes" with dirt or soil first, use landscaping cloth, block puddy to hold the blocks together, etc? Has anyone done something like this and if so can you give me a run down of the steps you needed to do? Thanks!


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## josall (May 7, 2011)

Can you get a picture?


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## buck_99 (Jun 22, 2011)

Here are pictures of my driveway and 2 others of ideas similar to what I had in mind....


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## Impastabowl (Jun 27, 2011)

Hello.

Great idea for turning that ugly culvert into an attractive planting bed!

You should just be fine with:

1. Marking out where you want the beds to be.

2. Digging down 6"-12" and filling with sand or 5/8- (pronounced five-eights-minus) gravel. Tamp down the sand/gravel so that you have a level base to build on. For the size of the beds you are looking at 6" should be plenty.

3. Applying the bricks how you want them. Talk to your local hardware store about the project and they should help you find an adhesive that will work for whatever you choose.

4. IMPORTANT! Drill a drainage hole into the culvert itself so that your bed won't overflow in a heavy rain. Depending on the size/number of holes you should also add a little wire mesh to ensure that the soil doesn't block up or go through the culvert. You could also add a weephole to the masonry to get the same effect.

5. Fill with soil and plant! Be sure to find a plant whose roots won't overtake the bed and begin choking themselves. The Hostas in the photograph you provided look good, but they like it best in the shade.

Keep us posted on how you're doing!


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