My first patio - Help

[ToMMoD1980]

ok im starting to make a patio around a hot tub, I have the flags already which are 450X450mm. The only problem is that the area around the hot tub is a lot higher than the surrounding land (on 2 sides) i was thinking of making a mini wall where the slabs will lay on. On 1 side i was just going to add more soil as this has plants and trees, but to the front there is grass and she would like to keep it as it is, so on this side i was going to make a step. Im doing this job for a my girlsfriends mum as a favour and i think ive bitten off more than i can chew!!!
i will take pictures and add them later but in the mean time any ideas
Any help will be greatly appreciated

[Tony McC]

You need some sort of retainer all the way around. Loose soil will simply slide downhill due to gravity, and take your paving with it.