So you’re looking at the idea of adding retaining walls to your property, be they for functional purposes or decorative, but you’re not entirely sure just what you want. There are many different types and styles of retaining walls in Santa Ynez Valley out there, so it’s just a matter of finding the one that works best with the overall look and feel of your land. You may also want to consider how well it goes together with your home. So, it’s time to start investigating.
Walls that appear natural, such as those constructed of stone (which actually ARE natural!) are always a good choice when selecting a material for your retaining walls. You really can’t go wrong with adding a little nature in to your nature. Keep in mind though what the purpose for adding a retaining wall is in your specific situation. Is it to prevent erosion? Construct a terrace? Purely decorative, such as to replace standard fencing? Some materials will work better than others, though there are always ways to use the materials you want even if there are others better suited to the purpose of the wall.
Brick walls can work well, especially if your home is also constructed of brick. It’s very easy to match and as brick is relatively inexpensive, it won’t totally break the bank the way higher end stone assemblies might. Brick walls are also easy to construct, so this would be a simple, quick task in most situations, unless of course you’re trying to build the Great Wall of China or something.
Plain concrete walls can serve various functions and while they may not be entire aesthetically pleasing, they can be extremely functional. Concrete retaining walls tend to be stronger and offer more support, so they are useful on heavy slopes that really require some “muscle” to keep the land they are supporting in place. If that’s the sort of thing you need, but find concrete to be too bland, you can always plant a row of ivy above it and it won’t be long before your wall is covered over.
If you just want to put a nice enclosure around your garden, you could consider using block walls. They are essentially just cinderblock types that interlock with each other and do not require much depth for support, as they are considered a gravity type wall which assists in not allowing the wall to overturn or lean.
A final suggestion would be to try a regular rock wall. These are generally made of stacked rocks that then have the spaces left between them filled in with soil for support. If you allow a few plants to grow out of the wall itself, it actually helps to strengthen the support as the roots of the plants begin to serve as anchors of sorts.
