Green Outdoor Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall

Corner of the Garden
Corner of the Garden
Terra Ferma LandscapesTerra Ferma Landscapes
Overall view of the patio table and built-in bluestone bench.
Modern Landscaping
Modern Landscaping
Exterior Worlds Landscaping & DesignExterior Worlds Landscaping & Design
The problem this Memorial-Houston homeowner faced was that her sumptuous contemporary home, an austere series of interconnected cubes of various sizes constructed from white stucco, black steel and glass, did not have the proper landscaping frame. It was out of scale. Imagine Robert Motherwell's "Black on White" painting without the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston's generous expanse of white walls surrounding it. It would still be magnificent but somehow...off. Intuitively, the homeowner realized this issue and started interviewing landscape designers. After talking to about 15 different designers, she finally went with one, only to be disappointed with the results. From the across-the-street neighbor, she was then introduced to Exterior Worlds and she hired us to correct the newly-created problems and more fully realize her hopes for the grounds. "It's not unusual for us to come in and deal with a mess. Sometimes a homeowner gets overwhelmed with managing everything. Other times it is like this project where the design misses the mark. Regardless, it is really important to listen for what a prospect or client means and not just what they say," says Jeff Halper, owner of Exterior Worlds. Since the sheer size of the house is so dominating, Exterior Worlds' overall job was to bring the garden up to scale to match the house. Likewise, it was important to stretch the house into the landscape, thereby softening some of its severity. The concept we devised entailed creating an interplay between the landscape and the house by astute placement of the black-and-white colors of the house into the yard using different materials and textures. Strategic plantings of greenery increased the interest, density, height and function of the design. First we installed a pathway of crushed white marble around the perimeter of the house, the white of the path in homage to the house’s white facade. At various intervals, 3/8-inch steel-plated metal strips, painted black to echo the bones of the house, were embedded and crisscrossed in the pathway to turn it into a loose maze. Along this metal bunting, we planted succulents whose other-worldly shapes and mild coloration juxtaposed nicely against the hard-edged steel. These plantings included Gulf Coast muhly, a native grass that produces a pink-purple plume when it blooms in the fall. A side benefit to the use of these plants is that they are low maintenance and hardy in Houston’s summertime heat. Next we brought in trees for scale. Without them, the impressive architecture becomes imposing. We placed them along the front at either corner of the house. For the left side, we found a multi-trunk live oak in a field, transported it to the property and placed it in a custom-made square of the crushed marble at a slight distance from the house. On the right side where the house makes a 90-degree alcove, we planted a mature mesquite tree. To finish off the front entry, we fashioned the black steel into large squares and planted grass to create islands of green, or giant lawn stepping pads. We echoed this look in the back off the master suite by turning concrete pads of black-stained concrete into stepping pads. We kept the foundational plantings of Japanese yews which add green, earthy mass, something the stark architecture needs for further balance. We contoured Japanese boxwoods into small spheres to enhance the play between shapes and textures. In the large, white planters at the front entrance, we repeated the plantings of succulents and Gulf Coast muhly to reinforce symmetry. Then we built an additional planter in the back out of the black metal, filled it with the crushed white marble and planted a Texas vitex, another hardy choice that adds a touch of color with its purple blooms. To finish off the landscaping, we needed to address the ravine behind the house. We built a retaining wall to contain erosion. Aesthetically, we crafted it so that the wall has a sharp upper edge, a modern motif right where the landscape meets the land.
Traditional Front Landscape - Elm Grove, WI
Traditional Front Landscape - Elm Grove, WI
Ginkgo Leaf StudioGinkgo Leaf Studio
A second front yard planting bed emphasizes the foundation plantings. More echinacea and hemerocallis, with 'Limelight' hydrangea. Westhauser Photography
Palm Beach Tropical Garden
Palm Beach Tropical Garden
JK Design Custom Landscapes inc.JK Design Custom Landscapes inc.
Natural stone wall allows for privacy and helps with noise factor. Add some depth with a high and low tropical garden with multiple color variations.
Retaining Walls
Retaining Walls
Denver LandscapesDenver Landscapes
Turn a sloped front yard into a leveled one with a natural stone retaining wall.
Normandy-style Refresh
Normandy-style Refresh
Athyrium DesignAthyrium Design
This exquisite home on Philadelphia's Main Line underwent a total landscape transformation. Overgrown plantings and invasive species were removed to make room for a transitional landscape that functions for this family's low-maintenance lifestyle. Here, boxwoods are interplanted with native species and formal lines are combined with a rain garden. This updated landscape now supports the client's lifestyle as well as the surrounding environment!
Tiered  Walls for Sloping Yard
Tiered Walls for Sloping Yard
The Nelson TeamThe Nelson Team
Tiered walls made of natural moss rock stone to eliminate small, but difficult to maintain, slope in the front yard. Wall was set on a poured footing, built with cinder block, and faced with moss rock. Plantiings were chosen to blend with the existing landscape and handle sun/shade conditions. Area was converted to drip irrigation for the walls to better control volume of water to the planted areas vs. the sodded front yard area.
Front Yard Sitting Area with retaining wall and steps
Front Yard Sitting Area with retaining wall and steps
Down2Earth Landscape DesignDown2Earth Landscape Design
Low maintenance, seasonal garden added to this new front yard/ Complete with new raised sitting area. This new porch comes complete with heated flooring to get homeowners through the winter. New stairs make reaching their front entrance much easier. The new lights make it as enjoyable in the evening. * photo credentials and installation Greenscene Landscaping
Xeriscape Garden, Jungle Forest Garden, Vegetable Garden & Subtropical Garden
Xeriscape Garden, Jungle Forest Garden, Vegetable Garden & Subtropical Garden
Roland Oehme Landscape ArchitectureRoland Oehme Landscape Architecture
This is an urban single family home situated on a narrow lot that is about 1/8 of an acre and is only 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. I designed a completely new garden and installed everything along with the client’s help. The garden I designed consisted of an ornamental grass garden, a xeriscape garden with decomposed granite mounds, fruit trees and shrubs located throughout, a jungle forest garden, and raised brick vegetable beds in the rear. Previously, there was a wood deck covering almost the entire property that was removed by the owner. We installed root guard around all of the walkways. I installed the raised brick vegetable beds and walkways around the vegetable beds. Many of the plants were chosen to provide food and habitat for pollinators as well. Dozens of fruiting plants were located in the garden. So, it is called the “Garden of Eatin”. Landscape design and photo by Roland Oehme
Del Mar Natural Modern Landscape
Del Mar Natural Modern Landscape
Revolution LandscapeRevolution Landscape
Naturalistic meadow with feather grass and lavender and bocce ball court.
Deer Mountain Home
Deer Mountain Home
The Crafted GardenThe Crafted Garden
Cottage garden with deer proof plants including Digitalis, Buddleia , Microbiota, Perovskia, Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail', Iris, Calamagrostis xacutifolia 'Karl Foerster' . Susan Irving
Pool House
Pool House
Pearson Landscape ServicesPearson Landscape Services
Steel retaining wall mixed with quarry block retaining walls. Lueders limestone stepping stones run along side the pool

Green Outdoor Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall

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