Retaining walls are a specific type of hardscaping that can be installed within your yard or landscaping design. They are made out of wood, stone or a similar material, and they are designed to literally retain soil in place, hence their rather distinctive name. Understanding some of the reasons why you would want to install a retaining wall on your property can help you determine if you should start talking to a contractor about the landscape design services you want.

Erosion Control and Slope Maintenance

Placing a retaining wall in your yard is designed to keep soil in place. This means that you are actively working against the forces of erosion, as constant rainfall and drainage can cause soil to be carried away. this can slowly wear down the slope of hills on your property, which can drastically change the layout of your landscaping. In addition, erosion can actually take away the highly fertile topsoil throughout certain areas of your yard, which can make it much harder for new plants to take root and existing plants to maintain healthy growth.

Improved Drainage

Another important reason why you should install a retaining wall, which is somewhat similar to the above point, is the fact that retaining walls can actually help improve overall drainage in your yard. This is because they have clearly delineated pathways can move water to areas of your yard that are able to handle it. This can help prevent flooding and wet spots that can negatively affect the health of the plants in your yard.   

Increased Landscaping Space

Another reason to consider installing a retaining wall somewhere within your yard is the fact that retaining walls can be installed on hills to create terraces. These terraces can then be transformed into a number of different distinctive landscaping installations: flowerbeds can be placed on hills that would otherwise be too hard to work, or you could even transform an entire terrace level into a patio or entertaining space.

Aesthetic Benefits

Another reason to install a retaining wall on your property, outside of the functional benefits that they carry with them, is the fact that retaining walls contribute a much needed splash of color and design to your yard. They can be used as accent pieces for other areas of hardscaping, and also to break up otherwise completely green areas of your yard that do not have other ways to be brightened up.