Landscaping is the method most homeowners use when they want to make their home stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. Planting beds, mulch, showcase trees, pathways, and rock features are all popular landscaping methods that beautify a property.
But There’s Much More
While typical landscape practices make a huge difference, there’s another element nearly anyone can add to their property for maximum visual and functional impact: retaining walls.
Most people think of retaining walls mainly as practical structures and they certainly are. After all, they are traditionally used to hold back the earth, preventing erosion and adding stability to a sloped piece of property. If you want to level out such a slope, Stonetree Landscaping can excavate your lawn and add a retaining wall, adding more level yard area. After an excavation, you’ll need a strong retaining wall to ensure everything stays put. But even if you don’t have a sloped yard, you can still make use of retaining walls.
Add Some Interest
Retaining walls are becoming more and more popular as features in a landscape. You can use a retaining wall and backfilling to create a hill where there isn’t one, or to add a new level to your yard. Try extending an elevated patio by installing a retaining wall a few feet out from the perimeter, and then filling it in with earth and pavers. With a retaining wall, you can create a new functional surface area for any purpose you like, or simply add some visual appeal.
Choose Your Material
Your retaining wall can be built with a number of different materials. The materials you select will depend on the size and necessary strength of the wall, along with your personal preference and what is locally available. We can visit your property, listen to your ideas, then give you the proper guidance in which materials are best for your situation.
Concrete “stones” or blocks are a popular choice, as are boulders. Stone veneers can give your retaining wall a designer look. Boulders are the most natural-looking solution for most applications, and are ideal for many different types of walls. Brick retaining walls are more labor intensive to install, and require special considerations for drainage. Poured concrete walls can be built using well-designed forms, and can be stamped or stained to look more like natural stone.
Get the Right Help
A wall that’s especially high may require special engineering to ensure stability, but most walls don’t call for this step. If you’re considering adding a retaining wall or layering to your landscaping, give us a call and we can answer any of your questions. Stonetree can help ensure your new wall is both beautiful and stable, for many years.