Hi Everyone, This is my first time posting and would appreciate some advice from some fellow DIY'ers. The end of our backyard slopes down in some sections and in one area, the existing timber wood planks keeping the soil up are starting to rot away. I would like to put up a new retaining wall and expand the area a bit. I have laid out posts to mark out area that I would like to expand to and the deepest the wall would be from the dirt to the current height is about 32". The total length of the wall will be about 25'. My current plan is to bury 4x4 pressure treated timber posts every five feet, with 3' being above ground and 5' being below ground. Then I would stack 10' 2x6 pressure treated planks horizontally along the posts for the length of the wall. I would also tilt the posts into the slope 3". I will then place gravel and a french drain with landscaping fabric at the interior base of the wall. I've seen many articles that use 6x6 beams that stack on top of each other and I am wondering if that is a better way to go? Or should I scrap the wood idea and use retaining wall blocks? Thanks in advance for your advice! Here are photos of the area.

Going to build a deck with a patio door entry from the living room. Would you build the deck first or the doorway? Should I drop it down a couple of steps so I don't have to have a railing? don't you need a landing for like 3' exiting from a doorway ?