If your Beverly Hills, MI, property requires a retaining wall, you can use this as an opportunity to improve your landscaping. Retaining walls can be an impressive addition, adding style to your outdoor space while also making it more functional. Here are some of the ways that you can make your retaining wall the highlight of your landscaping.
Design & Style
Retaining walls can be built out of masonry blocks, which is often available in a variety of colors, styles, and textures. You could go with a monotone look or use a few different colors to add a unique look. One popular technique is to use one color for the majority of the retaining wall and use a different color for a single line that runs throughout the width of the retaining wall. Choose from colors including gray, tan, brown, and even black. Your landscape contractor will be able to show you various options to choose from and offer recommendations on what would look best for your property to create a cohesive look.
Depending on your property, you could have a retaining wall that varies in height from one section to the next. Shorter retaining walls can also function as a built-in seating wall, with the top ledge acting as a bench where you can sit to rest your feet. Not only is it a convenient seating option, but it also makes your outdoor space look impressive.
A retaining wall that doubles as a seating wall also makes a great location to include a fire pit where you can gather with friends and family. Enjoy a bonfire-style party where you can roast marshmallows and enjoy good conversation.
Add Plantings
Retaining walls are also a great place for raised planting beds. The addition of colorful plantings, such as shrubs, perennials, or ornamental trees, helps add character to your landscape. For example, you could include rose bushes, blue fescue grass, or hydrangeas. Many landscape contractors will be able to provide recommendations on plantings you could include based on your specific property. Be sure to have a layer of mulch installed to give it a finished look.
Built-In Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting can be built into your retaining wall. Not only does it brighten up your outdoor spaces, but it can enhance your nightscape. Outdoor lighting can be strategically installed throughout your landscaping to create a decorative effect while also providing a sense of comfort. Lighting naturally makes an outdoor space look warmer and more welcoming. Eliminating the shadows helps you feel at ease since you won’t have to worry about what may be lurking in the darkness.
If your retaining wall is used to create a flat area of space for an outdoor living area, such as an outdoor kitchen or outdoor living room, you can have stairs included in the design to connect the various levels of your outdoor living spaces to make navigating your landscape easier. Outdoor lighting can be built into the stairs so that you and your guests can see clearly when ascending and descending the stairs, helping to prevent trips and falls.
Related: 5 Benefits to Including a Retaining Wall in Your Backyard in Bloomfield Hills & Orchard Lake, MI
About the Author
With over 27 years serving Southeast Michigan, Teddy’s Lawn & Landscape is a family-owned, award-winning business providing quality workmanship in all that we do, from landscape designs and construction to caring for the outdoor spaces of residences and commercial properties