It’s not uncommon to have a yard with a slope that’s too small to grade and too high to ignore. Building retaining walls is a common and necessary request for our design team.

Many retaining walls can be attractive, when the proper stones are used. But when we have the opportunity to use large stones to create planting spaces, that’s when things get interesting.

“When we can create planting walls with easily accessible planting areas, then our design options really open up,” shares Natalie Selker. “When we can present to the client an opportunity to have an attractive wall that addresses their slope issue and incorporates a new garden space, it’s a real plus.”

The stone of the planting wall evolves to more than a way to support the slope, it’s now part of a garden design. The color, texture and placement of the stones dictate how the garden will come together. At times we like to play on the rock’s gray tones and choose plants that reflect that cool, calm feel. Other times owners want more of a visual impact and use the stone to add a dramatic contrast to the plants’ colors. 

The final touch, a bit of accent lighting to illuminate the stone and garden.