Advice on building block-work raised planters

4 years ago

Hi, looking for advice on building block and brick walls for a raised planter. The height is seat back height, so around 840mm, and will be a 6 metre long wedge shape box, with the narrowest point at 500mm and the widest 1400mm. I'll build an internal wall somewhere along the wider end to provide additional support. This will connect with a lower wall of around 450mm heigh. The planter will contain small plants but considering a eucalyptus or olive tree.

So the advice I need is:

As this is a box, not a free standing wall, am I ok with a foundation of 300/300mm? Some parts of the trench I've dug to 300mm deep are into clay, others not.
Will I be ok with single skin walls? I'm planning on building with standard aerated blocks with a double layer of engineered bricks for DPC. Will the roots of a eucalyptus or olive tree tree need a stronger wall?
To provide a moisture barrier inside I was going to line with plastic but is there a finishing render that can be applied inside and out to provide this? May be a coloured one (white) that also doesn't requiring painting as a final finish to the shown surface?
I'm presuming normal cement is suitable to use for the footings and mortar?

I've attached a rough 3d visual, though the wedge to the right is going to be only 450mm heigh.

Thanks

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Advice on building block-work raised planters

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