Gabion retaining wall dressed with local river stones
Gabions are robust wire baskets filled with aggregate or timber. They are relatively easy to install and make fantastic wildlife habitat.
John Little calls them a “unit of structural habitat”. Here are some habitats you can include:
They are also great for filling with recyled “waste” aggregate.
Useful construction illustration for gabion retaining wall from wirefence.co.uk
I used wirefence.co.uk. Materials for custom building your own gabions: