A retaining wall is a functional piece of landscaping-it is there to hold back earth and terrace a yard. It should be strong, watertight, and made of a suitable material for the job at hand. Even with that said, however, there is no reason you cannot have fun with this hardscape feature. Dream big when it comes these walls and their uses in your yard!

One of the best parts about a retaining wall is that you can use it to create many layers in a sloped yard. For example, you can build several tiers of wide flower boxes using retaining walls. Connect these tiers with stone steps, platforms for benches and perhaps a fountain and you have a very unique and polished looking yard. Retaining walls add a level of beauty in dryer climates as well. They are perfect for that tiered cactus garden you have always wanted.

Retaining walls can also be used in large projects. Certainly, they are helpful in building small walls, but they also can be used in higher applications, where you need to hold back a large quantity of dirt and other material. You can even build walls that are six and seven feet high with the right planning and materials (note, be sure to speak to a professional mason before building this high, in order to ensure that your wall will be sturdy and water will have way to drain from behind it).

You can also build unique features out of retaining walls. An outdoor stone and grass amphitheater, for example, is really just a series of small half-moon shaped walls. Perhaps this is not the best project for a small yard, but it is one that a larger sloped yard could accommodate. Likewise, you could build off of this principle of a small amphitheater and fill each level with hanging plants or vegetable and flower gardens for a many layered garden. This garden would be both beautiful and functional! You could have your very own miniature Hanging Gardens right in your back yard!

Another aspect of customizing retaining walls occurs in the materials they are made of. Since these walls can be built of many different masonry materials-concrete block, bricks, limestone, and other natural stones-you have a wide range of shapes, textures, and colors to choose from. You can make the walls match or complement your home. You can mix and match colors within the same hardscape and you can play with designs within the walls themselves. Make intricate patterns or an abstract scene using the different textures and colors found in retaining wall materials.

So, before you consign yourself to building just another wall to hold back dirt, consider the many possibilities and customizable nature of retaining walls. You can have a wall that is not only functional, but beautiful. Explore the possibilities for yourself and let your imagination take hold when discovering this masonry material. Chances are you will be surprised by what you find and may even have a little fun!

Mr. Masonry buys all of his home decor and landscaping materials like Retaining Walls at General Shale!

Mr. Masonry buys all of his home decor and landscaping materials like Retaining Walls at General Shale. http://www.generalshale.com/products/outdoorLiving/products.aspx/Retaining%20Wall%20Units/

Author Bio: Mr. Masonry buys all of his home decor and landscaping materials like Retaining Walls at General Shale!

Category: Advice
Keywords: masonry materials, retaining walls