How Your Worthington Landscape can Benefit from a Retaining Wall System
Retaining walls can make a huge difference to a landscape in a number of ways, from transforming its appearance for the better to allowing for a more functional area, and even contributing to a more sustainable yard. If you feel that any one of the following functions of a retaining wall system could be beneficial for your Worthington, OH, landscape, don’t hesitate to get into contact with the ARJ Landscape team.
Convert Slopes into Useable Space
Primarily, retaining wall systems are used to hold back soil, acting as an artificial barrier to the outward pressures of cascading ground. This means that slopes can be converted into flat, open spaces. Slopes tend to serve little purpose in a landscape and are often difficult to maintain. They also take up a lot of valuable space that could be put to better use. The space reclaimed by flattening out a slope with the engineering of a retaining wall system can be transformed into a patio, hillside viewing platform, overflowing plant beds, or any other feature that you thought your landscape didn’t have the space for.
Related: 5 Features No Outdoor Kitchen Should be Without in Hilliard
Prevent Erosion of Fertile Topsoil
Most plants struggle to grow on a slope. Because of this, soil erosion can be a problem. The roots of plants and grass keep topsoil in place on a slope, however even the hardiest plants can have a hard time holding onto shifting soil during periods of heavy rainfall. This leads to the problem of bare or muddy slopes, which can be an eyesore. Furthermore, valuable nutrients are often washed away into storm water drains, leading to a compounding problem. As a solution to this, retaining walls keep soil in place, provide space for beautiful flowering beds, and ensure optimal drainage that won’t lead to flooding or the washing away of your landscape’s mineral resources.
Create Beautiful Terracing
Terracing is an ideal feature for both small and large yards alike. In small yards, multiple levels of retaining wall planters can increase the surface area of the space and create a more interesting landscape. In larger landscapes, terracing can be used to create a sense of movement and mystery. It’s also a helpful feature for making it possible to keep a wide range of plants with different water requirements in close proximity to one another. This is possible by using a trickle down irrigation method where plants are arranged by their water requirements - the plants requiring the most water placed at the top of the terracing and plants requiring the least placed at the bottom. Irrigation takes place on the top tier and the lower tiers receive the excess water that trickles down. This can help save water and contribute to a more sustainable landscape.
Related: Improve Your Landscape Design with these Must-Have Features in Sunbury
Add Dimension to a Flat Landscape
Simply put, retaining walls make landscapes more interesting. Not only can shape and form themes be integrated into the landscape in three dimensions with the use of retaining walls, they also provide the opportunity to showcase the stunning colors and textures of natural stone and top-quality concrete wall units.