In the pursuit of the perfect outdoor space, many homeowners undertake gardening and landscaping projects that don’t benefit the aesthetics and functionality of their space. Indeed, there are a near-endless amount of things that you’ll have to consider when it comes to improving your outdoor area, and one great example of this is installing a retaining wall. While not everyone needs to have a retaining wall, you must understand what they do to determine if you need to add one to your space.
To help you out with this, we’ll be going through what retaining walls are and how to determine whether or not you need one in your outdoor area.
What Are Retaining Walls?
Retaining walls refer to the barriers that separate different sections of your garden or outdoor area. Technically, any border or partition that’s placed outdoors can be considered a retaining wall. Aside from being a partition, as their name suggests, they also retain the soil, grass, plants, and shrubbery on either side of the wall.
The structures ensure that nothing grows out of place and overlaps into areas where they aren’t supposed to be. To add to this, they help prevent erosion as they support the soil and slow the overflow of the water whenever it rains.
Who Needs Retaining Walls?
Now that you know what retaining walls do beyond just acting as dividers for your outdoor space, it’s time to talk about who needs retaining walls installed. Here are several indicators that you need to add a retaining wall.
If you have any issues with erosion, then adding a retaining wall will benefit you. Spaces situated on hills or at an angle are more likely to need these structures, as they can provide the foundation with much-needed support.
You’ll also need a retaining wall if your outdoor space uses different soils or plants that lie on different levels. Adding a retaining wall is a quick and easy solution to this, as the alternative involves sloping the ground from one section to the other.
Should You Install Retaining Walls Yourself?
The last thing we should talk about is how to go about installing the retaining wall. While you can technically build and install a wall yourself, this type of gardening and landscaping projects are best left to the professionals.
This is because poorly constructed and installed walls tend to degrade over time. Not only will it make your outdoor area look shoddy, but it also can compromise the structural integrity of your soil. As such, attempting to do everything yourself will potentially ruin and waste your resources. Professional landscapers are experienced with all types of projects, so rest assured that your outdoor space will be in good hands!
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand the purpose of having retaining walls. While it can be tempting to approach landscaping from a purely aesthetic perspective, do understand that you’ll also want to make sure that the structural integrity of your space is improved or, at the very least, maintained. It would also be in your best interest to refer back to this article whenever you’re making decisions regarding retaining walls for your outdoor space!
Northside Tree and Garden Service is a trusted name for landscaping, turf laying, and tree removal. We are the best landscapers in Sydney that can trim your hedges, transform your front and backyards, and install retaining walls so that you can achieve the garden of your dreams. Contact us today to learn more about our services!