Creating a well-integrated landscape is often more than a matter of planting some grass and a few shrubs and hoping for the best. This is particularly true of yards that are not uniformly flat. Stone elements such as retaining walls in Brookfield WI can be used to great effect for both practical and aesthetic purposes. Below are just a few reasons to consider having a retaining wall constructed.
Increase Usable Space
Sloped yards often place unwanted restrictions on landscaping elements. Installing retaining walls can level off the land and provide more usable space. In instances where the slope is severe, some property owners choose to use a technique called terracing in which several flat areas are created using multiple retaining walls. After the wall is built, land must simply be back-filled to level off the ground before it can be planted.
Improve Drainage
As just about everyone knows, rivers always flow downhill. The same goes for rainwater. As a result, even only slightly sloped yards can create all kinds of unnecessary drainage problems. Retaining walls can be placed to redirect water so that it can drain properly without destroying the landscaping. This is especially important on properties where houses or other structures are located at the bottom of a slope where they will be more prone to floods without retaining walls to redirect rainwater.
Stop Erosion
In cases where the yard is severely sloped erosion might be a concern. Over time the soil at the top of the hill will slowly migrate toward the bottom. This process can both destroy carefully crafted landscaping or lawns, and create structural issues for nearby buildings. Hiring a company like Outdoor Living Unlimited to install Retaining Walls in Brookfield WI can put a stop to the process of erosion.
Add Aesthetic Appeal
A flat lawn, or even a flat lawn with a few trees or shrubs, is boring. Adding decorative retaining walls out of high-quality materials can provide plant beds or coordinated terracing to improve the visual appeal of the yard. This can be especially helpful to those whose more elaborate landscaping requires the segregation of different plants that do not grow well in symbiosis.