4 Reasons to Add Plantings Alongside a Retaining Wall in the Brentwood and Forest Hills, TN, Areas

Whether you currently have a retaining wall or you’re having one built at your landscape in the Brentwood or Forest Hills, TN, area, you may want to consider having plantings installed alongside it. There are functional and aesthetic benefits to having plantings installed, just as there are for having a retaining wall built. Here are some of the benefits that you may want to consider.

Improved Aesthetics

Landscape contractors can put together a landscape design that includes your plantings. You could choose to have a variety of colors included or go with an all-green look. There are virtually unlimited design and style options, both when it comes to the planting bed design and the retaining wall itself. You have the opportunity to see something created for you that’s truly unique.

If you prefer a landscape full of colors, consider having a wildflower garden planted alongside the retaining wall. Purple coneflowers, Virginia bluebells, Shasta daisies, and delphiniums are just some of the plantings that would add an array of colors. These plantings will also help attract beautiful birds and butterflies.

Evergreen plantings are always a popular option for filling in landscapes. There are a variety of evergreen shrubs to choose from, including dwarf English laurels, boxwoods, and dwarf mountain pines. Hostas are also a great low-maintenance planting to include near a retaining wall. Your landscape contractor can make recommendations on which plantings would thrive in your specific location and conditions.

Environmental Benefits

Plantings give off oxygen and help clean the air and absorb carbon dioxide. Some plantings help attract pollinators, which helps preserve these essential creatures. Not to mention, plantings provide homes for wildlife. If your retaining wall is located close to your home, plantings in this area can help save energy because they have a cooling effect during the growing season. They can also work as insulators during the cooler months.

Soil Preservation

One of the reasons that you have a retaining wall built on your property is likely to help prevent soil erosion from occurring. When soil erosion occurs, it strips the soil of all of the essential nutrients that are required for plant growth.

The great news is that plantings can help with soil preservation. Protecting the soil from wind and rain can be achieved with a covering of plantings. Plant root systems help grab onto the soil and keep it clumped together so that it does not wash away.

Water Management

Another reason retaining walls are often built is to help with water management. If your home and landscape is located on a steep slope, water may rush down the hill and cause soil erosion, make your lawn and landscape soggy and muddy, or even cause flooding issues.

Plantings help soak up some of the water, helping prevent many water management problems. If you experience flooding in your basement and have a retaining wall built near your home, you might find that having plantings installed along the foundation of your home would help to reduce these issues because the root system helps soak up the water.