One of the hottest trends in landscaping right now is a raised garden bed with a wall to hold it back. They look nice and are useful in your yard, and they’re also pretty easy to build yourself. You can make a stunning bed that everyone in your neighborhood will want with just a few simple building supplies and some careful planning.
Why Go for A Raised Retaining Wall Garden Bed?
Here are some of the benefits of using retaining walls for your raised garden bed
-
Retaining walls allow you to grow plants on a slope or area with poor soil by keeping the bed raised and separate from the ground, This allows you to bring in high-quality soil for optimal plant growth,
-
They prevent soil erosion and slumping, especially on hills and slopes. The wall supports and contains the soil in a tidy, contained bed.
-
Retaining walls add a decorative element with their beautiful stacked patterns and alignment. You can get very creative with layout, materials used, and color.
-
With the soil raised to a comfortable height, a retaining wall garden bed prevents you from having to bend down too far to tend to plants. It brings the garden to you!
-
A well-designed garden bed focuses attention on your plants and landscape. The wall provides a tidy border and backdrop to make plants pop.
-
A raised bed is a flexible way to grow a lot of different plants, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Whatever your passion, a customized garden awaits!.
Getting Started with Design and Material Selection
Now that you’ve decided on a raised retaining wall bed, let your imagination run free with shape, material, and placement ideas. Here are some tips:
-
Play with basic geometric or organic, flowing shapes based on your personal tastes. Rectangular and square beds give an orderly look, while curved beds feel more natural.
-
Select hardscape materials like interlocking blocks, bricks, natural stone, concrete, or wood. Consider colors and textures that complement your home.
-
Incorporate benches, steps, pathways, or accents like planter boxes and trellises into the design. This creates an inviting garden space.
-
Use gradual curves and symmetry for a relaxing feel or sharp angles and uneven lines for drama. Varying heights add interest too.
-
Place it in a high visibility spot near a patio or walkway to show it off. Position it to capture ample sunlight for plant growth.
-
If building on a slope, go for terraced retaining wall garden beds connected by steps. This beautiful look transforms challenging terrain into a prime growing area.
Constructing Your Bed with Retaining Wall Best Practices
Building your own retaining wall raised garden bed is quite straightforward with proper preparations and materials. Here are some key steps to follow:
-
Mark the outline of your bed shape and dig a trench around 12″ wider and deeper than your wall blocks.
-
Fill the trench with a gravel base, tamping down firmly, and lay leveling sand. This provides drainage and a solid foundation.
-
Stack wall blocks, staggering for stability and pins for reinforcement. Level regularly as you build the beds height.
-
Backfill behind the wall with more gravel, leaving a gap at the front to hold garden soil. Compact the gravel well.
-
Top the wall with capstones or edging blocks to tidy the structure and contain soil.
-
Fill the interior bed space with quality gardening soil suitable for your plants. Mound gently and avoid compacting.
-
Include drip irrigation, grids to support vines, and aesthetic wall lighting as desired.
Get Creative with These Inspiring Raised Garden Bed Retaining Wall Ideas
The design options for raised garden beds with retaining walls are endless. Here are some unique ideas to ignite your creativity:
Tiled Mediterranean Courtyard – Transport yourself to the Mediterranean with handlaid stone or tile walls and an elegant formal shape. Add citrus trees, vines and fountain accents.
Mason Jar Herb Wall – Use a screed masonry technique to embed colorful upcycled mason jars along your garden wall. Plant with thyme, oregano, basil and other herbs.
Rustic Stone and Timber – Contrast natural stone boulders with rough-hewn timber planks for a cozy,earth-inspired look. Allow wall plants like sedum to drape artfully over the edges.
Contemporary Block Design – Clean lines and sleek blocks in neutrals or bold colors embody minimalist style. Pare down plant choices to one or two dramatic specimens.
Stepped Zen Garden – Retaining walls of varying heights layered with pebbles, sculptures and stone lanterns create a peaceful east-asian vibe. Fill with flowering groundcovers and bamboos.
English Cottage Garden – Replicate a storybook English garden with brick or stone walls smothered in roses, foxgloves, poppies and delphiniums. Add a white picket topper for charm.
Poolside Planters – Flank your pool with linear raised beds holding palms, grasses and bright tropical specimens. Use concrete blocks painted ocean blue.
Focal Point Display – Make plants the star with a single raised bed topped by a dramatic arbor or obelisk. Underplant with jewel-toned flowers like dahlias, canna lilies or geraniums.
Edible Oasis – Maximize food production with stacked beds containing vegetables, fruits, herbs and berries. Use permeable pavers or gravel paths for ease of care and access.
Call in the Pros for Stunning, Long-Lasting Retaining Walls
For the best looking and sturdiest raised garden retaining walls that will endure for decades, it’s wise to have them designed and built by experienced hardscape professionals. Companies like KG Landscape have the know-how to:
-
Assess your property and propose the optimal retaining wall design and placement.
-
Determine the right materials and construction method for your unique site.
-
Obtain any permits needed to build walls over a certain size.
-
Have the heavy equipment and manpower to build walls properly.
-
Include additional features like lighting, irrigation, steps and fences.
-
Apply their craftsmanship to your creative vision to make it come alive.
By tapping into the expertise of seasoned retaining wall builders, you can relax knowing your new garden will be structurally sound and stunning for many years of growing seasons to come. Contact the pros at KG Landscape today to get your dream raised garden retaining wall bed underway!
Level Up Your Garden Bed with an Easy Retaining Wall
FAQ
Can you use retaining wall blocks for garden beds?
How thick should the walls of a raised garden bed be?
Should I put a barrier under my raised garden bed?
Can a retaining wall be used for raised planting beds?
And, while retaining walls are perfect for creating raised planting beds, there are other hardscaping design ideas for incorporating a retaining wall into your landscape. Break up a lawn with raised beds, adding new textures, colors and planting opportunities, while reducing lawn maintenance.
Do retaining walls add interest to a sloping garden?
If you have a large sloping garden, using tiered retaining walls to create multiple terraces can add interest and help to prevent erosion. This clever design has walls that also act as raised beds to add interest, make good use of the space, and keep the garden relatively low-maintenance. Shrubs and hedges smartly differentiate between the spaces.
What retaining walls do you need for a Mediterranean garden?
The white poured concrete retaining walls give this modern garden a clean and light feel. Using them as easy-to-keep raised beds works well in this low-maintenance Mediterranean-inspired space. The drought-resistant palms and shrubs add color and interest.
What is a low retaining wall?
The low retaining wall around the entire perimeter of this vegetable garden creates a large raised bed. This allows greater control of soil, more veggies in one space, and better drainage. This sloping garden has cleverly integrated a pretty cascading waterfall and pond as part of the retaining wall design.
