Retaining walls

We have some places in our yard with a fairly decent slope. We’ve tried plants there to keep the soil in place, but it hasn’t worked. Does Exterior Worlds have a solution for us?
Retaining walls can be built to hold soil in place and away from your house, driveway, luxury swimming pool or other landscaped areas. Constructed of varying height and length, these barriers can be built to appear as if an integral part of your landscape design.

A hardscape exhibiting both form and function, a retaining wall in your landscape garden design solves problems, adds interest and helps define the space. These barriers address drainage issues, can help you reclaim previously unusable or underutilized zones, and, with some of today’s attractive products, can look beautiful while doing so. They can also visually divide your yard into manageable areas, thus giving the eye a focal point. You can even put them to further work by constructing them with built-in bench seating.

What are the design elements we should consider?
You will want to address three broad areas:

• Design. The wall’s purpose, as well as the topography of the land, will determine placement, height and length. Be cognizant of integrating your wall into other features of your landscape, such as the patio design, pathways, pool design, garden beds and ponds.
• Style. You will want to coordinate it with your home and landscape architecture. Some styles ideas: the sharp and spare lines of concrete work well in a modern landscape design, or the enduring presence of stone works beautifully in a Mediterranean landscape design.
• Material choice. Usually brick, pavers, stone, concrete, steel or wood. As with all material selections, be sure to coordinate it with your home’s exterior. Also you will want to factor in any homeowners’ association guidelines.

Who can help us with such a project?
A retaining wall attempts to master erosion and gravity, two of the most powerful forces on the planet. In the Gulf Coast area, the most common problems with these walls have to do with stability, with water drainage being the biggest factor. We encourage our clients to hire expert engineers, contractors and builders when they need such a partition built. Most regulating bodies require that a certified engineer either build or inspect these structures when they go over a certain height or when they are built close to a structure or driveway. Landscape designers and landscape architects can help you with these issues and the permitting process.

At Exterior Worlds, our full service solution with retaining walls is most important when integrating them into your yard drainage system. Since the biggest enemy is water, you’ve got to have good drainage behind the wall. Another concern we address is tree preservation, as it is with any of our building projects. You want to be sure that tree roots aren’t damaged in any way. What Exterior Worlds brings to the table in this area is our ability to take into account all aspects of your landscape, including such things as grade changes and different surfaces.