Category: Landscaping Design

A retaining wall installation can be a functional part of a landscape design, a purely decorative idea, or both.

No matter what the purpose is for adding this element to a landscape design, landscaping contractors can use a variety of different materials to do it.

Depending on factors like home architecture, functional need, plant types, and ground typography, here are some of the options that a landscaping service can use to build a wall, no matter the look, size, and height required for the design.

• Natural Slate and Stone - One of the more natural-looking and rustic choices, rough-cut slabs of slate and stone stack up to form a beautiful low wall when installed by experienced landscaping contractors. Fitting the slabs together is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle, but both slate and stone look very attractive around planted beds, along walkways, and anywhere a more attractive wall is desired.
• Wood - Whether using boards, ties, poles, or other types of wood, retaining wall installation done with wood as a part of landscape design can be as simple or complicated as necessary. Pressure-treated posts can easily contain mulch to keep planted beds looking neat, and framed lumber can work well for a higher wall, too.
• Stone Boulder - Boulders are another natural choice when used to support a hill and prevent erosion. Landscaping services can put them in place and backfill them with stone dust, cement, or soil to the desired height.
• Blocks and Bricks - Probably the most commonly used components to create a simple installation, landscaping services recommend bricks and blocks in various sizes, shapes, and colors. Their uniform shapes and flat tops and bottoms make it possible to stack them as high as necessary while remaining stable.
• Poured Cement and Stone Veneer - When a taller structural retaining wall installation is necessary, poured concrete is one recommendation, as it can be made to look like stone or have stucco added. Additionally, taller concrete walls can be finished with stone veneer that makes them look like the real thing.
• Gabion Stone Basket - A wall made of stones and rocks contained in a strong wire basket called a gabion is also an attractive choice when a taller retaining wall is necessary. When filled up with loose rock and stones by landscaping contractors, the wires blend in, making it a more economical option when the look of natural rocks is the goal.

With so many choices of materials available, landscaping services can create a unique look that fits a property just right.

No matter what style, color, or size wall is needed, a skilled landscaping contractor can help property owners decide on the perfect look for great form and function!

Lush, green lawns can be beautiful, but they can also add greatly to overall landscaping maintenance tasks involved in keeping a property looking its best.

They can also be a cause for higher water bills and introduce more chemicals into the environment in trying to keep them that way.

Reduce Water and Chemical Usage With Creative Landscape Design

One way to reduce the drudgery of weekly lawn mowing while also saving water and reducing the use of toxic chemicals is to get creative with landscaping.

A beautiful landscaping design comprised of different plants, groundcovers, and hardscape elements can turn a plain yard into a personal oasis, all while minimizing the size of the high-maintenance lawn!

Reduce The Amount of Lawn

With a goal of reducing the actual square footage of the lawn around a property and thus the amount of lawn and landscape maintenance required to keep it looking good, homeowners can add beauty even when removing some of the green.

Hardscaping with the addition of patio space and walkways surrounded by planted beds and ornamental grasses is a prime way to turn thirsty grassy patches into more beautiful, and more easily managed elements.

Adding landscaping design such as pavers, bricks, crushed stone, and other natural elements can further shrink lawn space to turn it into a design element, and not just a living sponge in need of frequent watering.

Use Native Plants

In addition to the hardscaping elements, homeowners looking to reduce their lawn and landscaping maintenance tasks and costs can focus on plantings comprised of native and drought-resistant plants.

Durable, flowering groundcovers are another landscaping design option that can work as well.

A thick layer of mulch in planted beds will also retain more water when it rains while slowing evaporation afterward, keeping plants happier and longer.

Keep Some Grassy Lawn Area

While reducing the amount of grass in a yard with a beautiful and creative landscaping design can bring many benefits with it, avoid removing all of the grass.

Some grass patches should remain, as grassy areas do absorb some of the heavy rains that happen in Texas, preventing flooding.

Balance The Above Changes With Desired Landscaping Appearance

That said, although totally eliminating certain landscape maintenance tasks like mowing will not be the final result, it will be greatly reduced.

With a good balance of grassy patches, hardscaping elements, trees, bushes, and ornamental beds planted with resilient local species, homeowners can reduce the amount of landscaping maintenance required to keep their properties looking great, as well as their seasonal water consumption.

Smaller lawns and more thoughtful landscaping designs are easier to care for, more eco-friendly, and look beautiful, too!