Even though they aren’t as flashy as gardens or pools, retaining walls can dramatically alter a landscape and create a wow factor. Once the right materials are chosen, the landscape can be greatly enhanced by the new retaining wall. Here are key style and material considerations when designing and building retaining walls in the York and Harrisburg, PA, areas.

For purely utilitarian purposes, retaining walls offer the ability to control erosion as well as define a landscape. Deciding the height of these walls is important, as a low wall with a gentle slope can offer a guiding feeling to visitors. Adding features like lights inside the wall could make any visitor feel safe and welcome.

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Materials: Stone and Brick

Durability is the main attractive quality to stone and brick retaining walls. They can be arranged to show off different designs and colors to complement a landscape. As long as the wall has an intentional drainage system and is set on a proper foundation, these walls last. Only an experienced mason should install a wall such as this since this is a complex process requiring specialized techniques.

Materials: Concrete Block

For landscape professionals who want expanded style choices and ease of installation, concrete block retaining walls are an excellent option. While concrete blocks themselves are basic gray, you can apply a gorgeous veneer that mimics natural stone, with more color and style choices than you can find in natural stone. The blocks are engineered for strength and are far less difficult to arrange and assemble than stone or brick. 

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Design Styles: Sleek and Modern

Best to complement a home built in modern styles, these types of walls are typically linear or angular. They blend in with the surroundings less than more rustic styles, but sleek and modern walls tend to highlight other elements in the landscape due to their minimalist progression. It’s also easy to make the wall itself a focal point by accentuating some of its features. Concrete blocks can make up the majority of material of a sleek modern wall since they are available in a wide array of colors, finishes, sizes, and shapes. There are many types of blocks available that lend themselves to the modern style.

Design Styles: Rustic and Natural

Maintaining a beautiful natural landscape often means using natural materials. A rustic landscape has so many features that could be accentuated by using natural stone in a relaxed design. Every single stone you use in a natural wall is expressively unique. The walls can look like they’ve always belonged in their location and don’t interrupt the wonderfully unique nature of the backyard. 

As a rustic, natural wall ages, it will gradually develop a gorgeous patina of lichens. These take several years to grow, but the different colors and patterns will generate a varied and diverse wall that’s beautiful to look at, and grow more beautiful each year. Especially for a historical home, these walls will look and feel like they were meant to be. 

Design Styles: Grandeur

Estates need something more dramatic than modern or rustic designs. They need a wall that complements the grandeur of their structure. A retaining wall built for a house of this stature could have some of the elements of a modern or rustic wall, but with a refined touch using larger stone. Limestone and granite are fantastic materials to use for a wall like this as large blocks can be put in place to visually complement the home and give it a sense of being anchored in the landscape. The large blocks can also be used to adorn a large outdoor fireplace incorporated into a grand wall.

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Photo courtesy of Unilock