Terracing a garden

Hi Nancy.
I haven't started work on my project yet, but have thought things through quite thoroughly.
You should know that a retaining wall any higher than 1 metre must be constructed from reinforced concrete and planned by a structural engineer. Brick walls should also be supported by pillars every couple of metres and be at least two courses thick. Foundations are required and should be at least 18 inches deep and 1.5 times the width of the wall.

My own garden plan involves two retaining walls, both near this 1m limit. I plan to include steps to each level, whi will act as a support to the brick walls, and if necessary I may also include raised beds which will also act as a support to the walls.

Unfortunately, I must do all of my earthmoving by hand, since there is no available access for machinery. Due to the sheer amount of labour required, I would recommend using heavy machinery if possible.

I also have the added complication of removing treestumps while taking out the slope for the mid-terrace. Please see my discussion and add any advice if you can!
Cheers,
Rhino.