Gabion steps

 Last fall my husband Paul set about replacing the a small wood retaining wall and stairs down to our back patio that were falling apart. I did not think to take a good before photo, but here is one with the toddler torturing a houseplant on the stairs.

And here is the wood removed and old step location in the background.

Gabion baskets going in. To make more space above the stairs for a wheelbarrow to roll down the hill, the stairs were pulled forward to directly off of the patio.

A couple of shots after the baskets were filled; Paul had the pleasure of moving a ton of river rocks to fill these only to come up short; cue a scramble to collect as many large rocks as possible from the garden. Stair treads were made by planing the wood from the old stairs as a temporary solution until we decide on something more final. Paul also pulled forward the stone retaining wall next to the gabions. Rock poles (and a brother) are key for this job!

And here is the mostly finished product; we still need to go back and level the ground behind the stairs.