Adelaide Landscaping Project: Allan Block Wall, Smart Irrigation & Turf Install

At Maddern's Place Garden & Landscaping, we recently completed a full front yard transformation in Adelaide, South Australia. This project involved everything from excavation and irrigation setup to a stylish retaining wall and fresh Kikuyu lawn installation. Whether you’re building a new home or looking to refresh your outdoor space, this job showcases what’s possible with professional landscape construction.

✅ Project Overview

This newly built home had an untouched front yard that needed a full landscaping solution. Our scope included:

Site excavation and waste removal
Premium soil delivery and preparation
Hunter irrigation system installation
Allan Block® Junior retaining wall construction
Kikuyu turf installation and fertilisation

👷 Site Preparation & Excavation

We began by levelling the area using a mini excavator and removed all green waste, rocks, and rubble. While the plumber was initially meant to scrape the front yard, our team handled the excavation to ensure the levels matched the design requirements.

A 25mm blue line pipe was installed from the front water main to the rear yard to future-proof irrigation needs and provide a clean water supply line.

🧱 Retaining Wall Construction

To create a tiered and functional landscape, we built a low-profile retaining wall using Allan Block® Junior units from Adbri Masonry. These blocks are ideal for vertical walls up to 1m high and blend beautifully with modern home designs. The retaining wall also cleverly hides the water meters behind a turf-covered plate for a seamless look.

📦 The Allan Block® Junior system is known for its easy DIY features, but we ensured professional installation to maximise strength, drainage, and longevity.

💧 Irrigation System Installation

A smart Hunter BT Node 4-station Bluetooth controller was installed, allowing remote scheduling straight from a smartphone. We connected:

Rear Japanese-style garden bed
Rear lawn area
Front lawn and garden bed

For water efficiency and coverage, Hunter MP Rotator sprinkler heads were used. These provide uniform water distribution while reducing runoff and overspray – perfect for Adelaide’s dry conditions.

🌱 Soil Conditioning & Turf Installation

We delivered and spread approximately 30 tonnes of premium loam – a sandy soil mix enriched with compost to support healthy plant growth. Once levelled and compacted, we laid fresh Kikuyu turf, ideal for sunny front yards in South Australia due to its durability and fast growth.

To help the turf establish strong roots, we applied a starter fertiliser immediately after installation.