Could a retaining wall transform your garden space?

One of the best ways to turn your garden into a beautiful, versatile outdoor living space is to split it up into a variety of different sections. You can use these for almost anything: a play area for the kids, an al fresco dining and entertaining space for adults, or a space to grow plants, flowers and vegetables. Your individual outdoor 'rooms' can be delineated in a variety of ways, including by installing a deck, putting paths across your lawn and making decorative 'fences' out of potted plants or hanging fairy lights. If your garden isn't level, however, your best option might be a retaining wall.

What is a retaining wall?

Retaining walls are short, rigid walls used to support a bank of soil and create two different levels. They can create a slope on one side or be used to maintain different elevations of flat ground. They can be built out of anything, though their composition will depend on how much soil they need to support—many are made of rocks or wood, though concrete is a good option for particularly large banks.

Where can retaining walls be utilised?

If your garden isn't flat, a retaining wall can be used to level out the terrain and give you more space to work with for planting, playing and putting out furniture. If you end up with a sloped section, installing a retaining wall lets you choose its pitch and depth. They're most often installed at the far end of a garden, in such a way as to maximise the usable space throughout the garden as a whole.

How can a retaining wall transform your garden?

Keeping different sections at different elevations is a perfect way to make use of all the space your garden has to offer and gives you the opportunity to make your outdoor 'rooms' as distinct as possible. If your whole garden is on a gentle slope, transforming that into an area of flat land and a smaller, steeper slope at one end will let you use furniture and garden activities that aren't suitable for uneven ground—nobody wants to sit on a sloping chair at a wonky table, after all!

Are retaining walls difficult to install?

Many spaces are suitable for use with a retaining wall, and they're often surprisingly simple to create—but they do tend to take a lot of manual labour, and they can be unsafe if not created with care. Rather than trying to build a retaining wall yourself, get in touch with a professional; most manual labourers and all garden landscapers will have experience with building retaining walls, and will be able to let you know very quickly if this is the right choice for your garden.