Shouldn't your retaining wall design look fabulous?Plan your retaining wall design. It's much more than a functional piece of your garden. Make it beautiful! 
A little bit of planning (can I say 'design'?) and your retaining wall design will be both functional and fabulous. Don't settle for the everyday -- make sure you get the most out of it. FUNCTIONA retaining wall is not going to be moveable. Take time to consider where you're going to build it. Walk around the area. Think about how it will look from different angles like your driveway or back yard.HeightHow high does it have to be? Generally, a wall higher than four feet can look intimidating if it is too close to a house or patio. If your wall is going to be higher than four feet, consider terracing.If children will be playing near the top of the wall, you might want to keep the height change to two feet or less. Another alternative is to install a planting area or fence at the top of the wall. Safety NoteIf it looks very steep -- DON'T try mowing. With a little brainstorming, you can find another way to deal with a steep slope.TrafficWhat is the function of the area around the slope? Will a change in level block traffic flow? Will it need stairs? Stairs may mean more money in the project, but if it means that you wouldn't have to take a long walk around, it's worth it.InstallationIt is essential to have your wall installed correctly. It may need to be designed by an engineer and local setbacks may apply. Do your research right away. Correct installation is the difference between a beautiful project and having all your work washed down to the neighbor's yard.Also, if it's installed incorrectly, you may have to pay to have it torn down and redone. If you hire someone, it is essential to know what quality you'll be getting. This is not the time to choose a contractor only by price.
Disaster!
Get Creative had to tear down and rebuild this multi-level wall. Everything that the previous contractor did -- from the foundation up -- had to be redone. It was falling down before he could finish. Jan Paul to the rescue!
MaintenanceIf the base or top of your retaining wall design will have grass against it, it may become a maintenance issue. A solution to this is creating a planting area at the top or base.For one client, I had a small planting area installed at the base. The owner had enough room to run his lawn mower along the edging at the bottom -- which saved him a lot of work because his wall was quite long.
TIPDon't forget that you may need lighting on an upper or lower level. Sprinkler systems, electrical systems, and other utilities may need to run under the retaining wall. When you're sketching your retaining wall design, write your utility notes there. Also, mention this issue to your landscaper.Many homeowners are having egress windows installed now. Your retaining wall design could have terracing around the window. It creates a natural stair for this home addition. FUNRetaining wall design can be a lot of fun. You want an outdoor room? Try surrounding a patio with a low wall. Some of the wall block companies supply blocks for free-standing walls, also.Do you need to expand your entertaining area? Try a terrace with a patio on an upper level -- or a series of levels. Small alcoves with built-in benches would create many intimate conversation areas for guests. STYLERetaining wall designs have many different styles from rustic to formal, country to southwest. The style is greatly influenced by the materials that are used.
Rounded field stone boulders have a more rustic, laid-back appeal. It's great for country homes, cabins, and western ranches. The nooks and crannies that present themselves between the stones are great places to tuck hen and chicks or decorative vines or grasses. Limestone boulders are another option in Eau Claire. They really have a completely different texture and finish than field stone boulders. They're lighter in color and tend to get a bit mossy if they don’t get good drainage. This can be good or bad depending upon the look that you're after. Ask your landscaper about this when you get the estimate so that there's no surprises. So, we've got a few different options (more than what I've listed), and each one has a slightly different character and color. *Check with local landscapers to find out what stone is available in your area.
Another option for a slightly more formal retaining wall design is the segmented retaining wall or SRW. They are a great way to build walls in Wisconsin where frost and freezing might crack mortar and concrete. These blocks tend to be slightly more formal than stone, and they do come in a large variety of styles. Tumbled blocks have an aged look. If you're into classic architecture or just want to soften the straight hard lines of a standard block, try the tumbled block.
The picture above is showing a split-faced wall block in a buff/sand color. The cap blocks (the thin blocks on the top of the wall) are in the same color. This picture was taken before all of the planting was done. With a little bit of time and planting, this staircase can take on an even more grand appearance. I love to see staircases on retaining walls. Oh, I know that they're functional items, but many of them can be very beautiful. Take the next picture for example… the autumn leaves tucked in the nooks and crannies of the stone steps. It seems to accent the slight curve and is absolutely enchanting.
A retaining wall can do more than hold back earth. In the pictures below, you can see that the back yard was very cramped for the new owners. They were mostly concerned about the water runoff from the hill, which was extreme -- especially every spring. When we were done, their water problems were gone and they had almost doubled the size of their backyard! Before
AfterThis beautifully terraced yard and patio is just waiting for the owner to plant her favorite perennials.
I love it when things are used in imaginative ways. Here, you can see that this patio with a pergola overhead is raised slightly from the surrounding area with a small retaining wall. The natural stone is somewhat rectangular and is beautifully matched with the flagstone in the patio. … Yep, that's me! Another retaining wall below has created a beautiful raised planter at the edge of this crushed granite pathway. The grey in the stone is set off nicely with the silvery tones in the herbs.
And, in case you thought that natural stone is too 'rustic' or 'casual'… this rock retaining wall design has a dual staircase and is dressed up with wrought iron rail. Striking, isn't it? Note that this wall used mortar, so is different than the segmented retaining wall.
A retaining wall can do many things -- it defines, creates, raises and lowers, divides, invites, distinguishes. With a little bit of planning, your wall can do much more than hold back the earth. Return FROM Retaining Wall Design TO the-art-of-landscape-design HOME
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