The walls are an essential part of any room. They define the boundaries of the garden and create the mood. You can use them to finish off your garden’s landscaping. Gardening is enhanced by stone walls, in particular. Let’s start by looking at their basic features to see how they can benefit your Shorewood, MN landscape.
Styles and Types of Stone Walls
There are two main types of stone wall, each with two subcategories. There are two types of stone walls: retaining walls and freestanding walls. Each type can be constructed either ‘wet,’ with concrete, or ‘dry,’ without concrete using friction and gravity to hold the stones in place.
A retaining wall can be defined as a structure that is designed to keep soil in place. Retaining walls can be used to hold soil in place. Freestanding walls do not hold soil in place and are free-standing.
Uses
Freestanding walls can be used to keep people away from certain areas or to direct traffic towards more desirable views.
The traditional use of retaining walls is to hold soil in place between two elevations, and to alter the slope of turf.
You can do so much more with walls in your garden.
– Definition
The walls are a way to define an area, keeping the patio separate from the roses, and creating cozy outdoor “rooms.” They also give a focal point to a boring, open-ended yard. Artfully placed stone walls around a landscape can give it balance and shape.
Retaining wall give your garden layers, allowing for stacking flowers and herbs to create a stunning visual. You can terrace a space so that every plant has its own chance to shine. Your garden will look lusher without adding a lot of greenery.
– Widens Your Choice Of Plants
Retaining wall can be used to push plants towards the sun. This will give you more room to plant flowers that love light. Some herbs and flowers need shade and the stone wall’s side can provide it in an otherwise exposed area of yard. You can choose what to plant on your land, rather than being a victim of the natural light that your yard receives.
– Protects privacy
It offers privacy by blocking out prying eyes. This wall also keeps pets and small children in an area that you can see while you are relaxing.
– Improves irrigation
Irrigation is probably the most common use of retaining walls. They can direct and trap water. It also prevents erosion by preventing water from washing soil downhill. This stops mulch from being washed into the street, and creates deltas within your raised beds. This keeps the water near your flower roots where you want it and away from your driveway. It changes the slope so that water does not pool near your basement. You can spread excess water by putting pipes through the wall.
Eye Candy
They can be a feature in themselves. They can be an elegant eye-catcher in formal tea gardens or rustic resting spots along quiet paths. Stone walls are beautiful in your garden and age gracefully, attracting the eye over time.
Choose the right style for your walls
The style of your wall depends on the use you intend to give it. However, even within this limit there are many options.
There are many different types of stones in various cuts. Some stones are weathered and rough-cut, giving them a rustic appearance. Some stones are all the same color and can be used to complement other hardscapes. Your wall will appear sturdy and imposing if you choose large, blocky stones. Your wall will look more comfortable if you choose smaller, more regular shaped stones. You can choose the stones by deciding how they will look in the garden and how it will complement the wall.
You want to have a post on the wall at the corner, so that you can rest your hand there while you make a turn? You want to sit comfortably on your wall’s flat pavers? Maybe you could incorporate a bench in your wall? You may want retaining walls to blend in the background.
Stone walls offer a wide range of styles. Stone walls are durable. Stone walls will still look good in years to come, even if the latest flower is no longer fashionable. Also, they don’t need much maintenance to look good. They will need only a regular check-up and some sweeping if they are built correctly, with weepholes to prevent water from building behind them, and with a solid base. If you make sure that the drainage pipes are not clogged, and remove any weeds growing on your wall, your wall will be in top shape.
Stone walls can be useful and beautiful. Landscape Charlie can offer advice if you’re thinking about adding a stone wall to your landscape.
Landscape Charlie in Shorewood, MN is a company with the passion, experience and education to transform any outdoor space. We are looking forward to meeting you and assisting you in making your landscaping dreams a reality.
