5 Reasons Why Your Landscape Might Need a Retaining Wall in Harrisburg and Hummelstown, PA

As you plan the next steps in your landscape renovation, you may be focused on adding luxurious amenities or enhancing the look of your overall landscape. While you shouldn’t lose sight of what kind of potential your landscape can achieve, it’s important to look for some lesser celebrated landscape features. The retaining wall can be one of the most useful parts of a landscape, yet it may be often overlooked as a design feature. Here are five reasons why your landscape might need a retaining wall in Harrisburg and Hummelstown, PA.

Related: 6 Landscape Design Ideas for a Multi-Functioning Retaining Wall in Camp Hill, PA Area

Preventing Erosion

The gradual or sudden erosion of topsoil can devastate your landscape and create an unsightly, costly, and potentially dangerous issue. Dry soil is heavy on its own; but when saturated with water, it becomes exceptionally heavy - and slippery. Heavy rain can cause water-laden topsoil to wash away, exposing the barren and rocky soil below and causing debris to cascade onto the landscape below. Once the topsoil is gone, plants have a rough time taking root to restore the area. This leaves an ugly scar for your landscape: one that will be difficult and expensive to rebuild. Trees destabilized by erosion can also potentially fall, posing a direct threat for your home.

Retaining walls are primarily designed to help hold the landscape back and protect the uphill and downhill areas from erosion. They are an integral part of the drainage of hilly landscapes. The key is a structurally sound wall with integrated drainage to prevent the buildup of water behind the wall.

Expanded Outdoor Living

A retaining wall opens up usable space directly underneath the wall. This can expand your patio, give a new home to a pool, a fire pit area, a grassy area, a parking area, a play area, a garden, or even an expansion of your home. It’s up to you!

Elegance in Design

The choice in masonry materials can add elegance to your landscape. For the most integrated look, base the wall design on the aesthetic design of existing landscape features and the home. A retaining wall along a driveway, for instance, can help draw visitors to the house using a mix of gorgeous masonry and light fixtures built directly into the wall. The natural curves of the landscape should define the path and shape of your retaining wall to give tribute to your landscape.

Vertical Interest

Your landscape should be as multi-dimensional as possible. Taking advantage of the vertical surfaces of your retaining wall, you can include any number of additional features. Add masonry accents such as niches or decorative inlays to the design for a creative and artistic element. Allow non-invasive flowering vines or grapevines to climb the retaining wall and take advantage of sun exposure using a trellis against the wall. This softens the look and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous fall colors, too.

Decorative elements can even be placed on the top of your retaining wall. This vertical interest will enhance the beauty of your entire landscape and help provide a sense of depth perception at night through lighting incorporated into the wall (downward-facing lights will illuminate walking surfaces as well as draw attention to the wall’s texture).

Casual Seating

The structure of the wall doesn’t need to be perfectly vertical. Add built-in seating, perhaps by a fire feature where family and friends can relax and take in the view.

Related: How Patio Pavers Can Accentuate the Beauty of a Retaining Wall Built in the Harrisburg, PA Area