A retaining wall can be a necessary addition to your property for various reasons. This masonry structure offers soil erosion protection and helps to establish an entertaining spot in your backyard, too. If you add a retaining wall to your Flat Rock, MI, property but want to take steps to give this element a more natural look, here are some tips that may help:
Add Creeping Vines
Creeping vines, such as Boston ivy, honeysuckle, or wisteria, can add a lovely whimsical vibe to your property and take the harshness out of the appearance of your retaining wall. These creeping vines grow quite fast and will fill out the bulk of your retaining wall. In addition, some creeping vines have colorful flowers that bloom during certain times of the year, for an added beautiful result.
Use Outdoor Lighting
Subtle outdoor lighting at the base of your retaining wall can help to give this masonry feature a more soothing look. You can have your landscape designer create an uplighting visual that will produce a low level glow on the retaining wall. If you’d like the retaining wall to have outdoor light fixtures attached to it, you can have these lighting features placed on either end of the wall for an exquisite finishing touch.
Surround the Wall with Garden Beds
In addition to creeping vines, you can add plantings to garden beds surrounding the retaining wall. Colorful blooms and greenery will add a natural aspect to the base of the retaining wall or along the top to give this area an earthy feel. You may even want to add flower pots on both sides of the retaining wall to take this planting technique one step further.
Flank with Shrubs
Another way to use greenery to give your retaining wall a calm and serene appearance is to plant shrubs around the retaining wall. You can have short shrubs planted in this area that only cover part of the wall or ensure most of the retaining wall is hidden with larger shrubs and small trees. Hydrangea, lilac, or small evergreen shrubs can be added to give your retaining wall area a natural vibe.
Add a Pergola
You can turn your retaining wall into a multi-use masonry structure by having a pergola built on top of it. The pergola can provide a shaded area for family and friends to gather underneath. Add an outdoor dining table and chairs to the space and you have an excellent alfresco dining area. The retaining wall can hold the pergola up along with stone columns.
Make It a Seating Area
Transform your useful retaining wall into a seating area when you need some extra chairs for friends and family. A retaining wall provides an ideal extra seating area for when you’re entertaining or need a fun place for the kids to sit. You can even have cushions available for when you transform your retaining wall into added seating and bring the cushions indoors during inclement weather or when you want to display your retaining wall in its natural form.
