A common element of landscapes these days are walls. Many of the landscapes you see have some type of wall in them, whether you notice them or not. One can create continuity with a wall all one height, or break it up with varying heights along the wall length. Some walls are made up of one material, and others require multiple resources. Many times the purpose of the wall goes unknown, or the wall is just overlooked completely! Whether the wall is short, tall, fat, or skinny, there is always a purpose for a landscape wall.
Why we say “Landscaping” rather than “Retaining"
Landscape walls are often used to retain material, hence the term “Retaining Wall”. We at Greenscapes prefer the name “Landscape Wall” because there are so many more uses for them than simply retaining material. A landscape wall can provide...
- Security
- Aesthetics
- Intimacy
- Drainage
- Functionality
Landscape walls add both value and texture to any landscape by retaining material, creating terraces, providing facades in the landscape, and adding height.
Material talk
Having a wall constructed out of one material or many different materials add not only texture but character to your landscape. Sometimes the material can soften the landscape with a smooth face, or add vertical depth with a rigid and chipped face. Some of the most common materials seen are
- Limestone
- Concrete
- Wood
- Steel
- Vegetation (Greenwall)
The shape of a wall can also have a lot to do with the effect it in the landscape. If you have a very angular yard, try breaking it up with a curved wall for accent. Not only will the wall break up the straight and rigid lines in the yard, but it can also create an intimate space or spaces with the existing space that it is breaking up. The same effect can be used for a yard with very natural and curvy lines.
So next time you are looking at your yard and thinking what you can do to add some “texture, character, height, or just something different” to your yard. Give us a call at Maven and ask us about landscape walls, we would love to teach you about them and provide you with what your landscape is missing or needing!
