The garden is often a prominent backyard feature that deserves to be celebrated to its full potential. In order to build up a garden area and make it a more dynamic visual space, consider using masonry. The retaining wall in particular can add beauty and function to a garden. As you plan the next steps in your landscape renovation, increase the visual appeal and functionality of your garden area with retaining walls in Woodhaven, MI.
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Design Choices: the Timeless Appeal of Brick and the Beauty of Natural Stone
Brick is a timeless masonry material that has been holding strong for centuries. The beautifully warm earth tones give the garden a welcoming feel. The relatively small size of individual brick can make for a creative and elegant masonry surface that can incorporate curves and intricate designs for incredible personality. Brick also brings out the vibrant colors of plants in both sunny and shaded settings.
Natural stone is an ideal complement for a garden, and it is often a preferred material for a garden retaining wall. Stone blocks are among the sturdiest building materials available, but they require painstaking work to install especially if your wall will feature curves. Today, many retaining walls are built using a structure of concrete blocks clad with a natural stone or manufactured stone veneer. If your retaining wall needs to be tall and robust to withstand the incredible forces of a sloped landscape, this is an option that will give you both structural integrity and beauty. Veneers also come in many different styles which gives you a lot more design flexibility than natural stone.
Curves and Lines
The design considerations of your retaining wall can include straight lines with squared corners, or curved walls for a softer more organic look. Take design cues from the home, the feel you’re trying to achieve in the garden (formal, casual, modern/linear, country-garden romantic, etc.), the types of plantings you’re envisioning in your garden, and the landscape itself.
The Beauty of Terraces
Retaining walls help you add valuable outdoor living and garden space. On a steeply sloped backyard, use terraces instead of one tall retaining wall to add space for ornamental flowers, vegetables, or even shrubs and ground covers.
Two or three terraces can create a retaining wall that is six to eight feet tall. Terraces soften the look of an otherwise monumental retaining wall. Each terrace should be around 3-4 feet deep so that whether you’re standing on the patio level or on one of the terraces, you can easily reach to the back to tend your plants yet still have plenty of space to move around on the individual terrace.
Hidden Infrastructure
Retaining walls can house infrastructure to make gardening more convenient. This includes light fixtures that improve safety and nighttime beauty. It may include irrigation to simplify watering. You can also design a water feature into a terraced retaining wall for added interest and ambience. Best of all, this infrastructure will remain out of sight and well-protected by the structure of the retaining wall.
Casual Seating
Whenever someone wants to enjoy the full beauty of your garden, they may want to take a quick seat. A retaining wall in a garden setting can provide some casual seating perfect for a short breather or a good conversation surrounded by the beautiful plants. This extra seating will come in handy especially when you’re having a party.
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