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The retaining wall is one of the most functional elements in all of landscape design.
The purposes of the retaining wall are first and foremost to do things like prevent erosion,
seepage and water damage. But don’t let the utilitarian nature of retaining walls
blind you to their more decorative and aesthetic possibilities.
High Foundation Illusion
Those living in houses built on a high foundation also have
reason to love the decorative possibilities of a retaining wall.
Retaining walls and rock beds that stretch along the line of the
foundation of a property that slopes downward can serve as a screen that creates the illusion of the house appearing to be constructed lower than it is.
Waterfall
A retaining wall needn’t be just a big, less than attractive structure.
If your situation is one in which a stream or creek needs to be directed away from your property, a retaining wall that softly slopes
away from the house can be transformed into a more attractive waterfall system of effluence.
Landscaping the water source with rocks and plants can serve to transform
the aesthetics of what would otherwise be a purely functional operation.
Garden Wall
Anyone who loves gardening can learn to love the decorative potential of a low-level retaining wall. Suddenly, your low and lowly retaining wall takes on a much more colorful appearance.