Correct Landscape Problems With Construction

Landscaping was once considered only the use of plants. Although proper landscaping still relies heavily on plants, using construction elements is growing in acceptance.

I generally recommend using plants to solve your landscaping problems, because your aim should be to create as natural a setting as possible. However, plants sometimes can't do the job as well as we would like them to. The solution seems to be the use of building materials.

Our goal with construction elements should be a natural effect. Whatever you build should not dominate the landscape, but complement it.

If you are the least bit handy, you can install many projects yourself. However, I strongly suggest hiring a professional to help you design the project.

Always use the best materials and construction techniques for the job. You don't want to cut corners when it comes to construction for both safety and economic reasons. Correcting mistakes could cost you double in the end.

Some of the more common building materials include natural stone, brick, railroad ties, treated wood, and the new precast wall stone. Again, strive to make the construction elements appear as natural as possible, and don't use too many different types in one area; simplicity should rule.

Holding back a steep hillside, bridging a stream or solving drainage hazards are a few examples of landscape problems that need construction help; correcting steep slopes is probably the most common.

When building a wall to hold back a hillside, some very common errors occur. One is building the wall too high without stepping back into the grade before going on up. A tall wall usually cannot support the earth behind it for long, and will topple in time. Another is building the wall directly perpendicular to the ground. This angle will also not support the ground behind it and will eventually lean out and become hazardous.

You can prevent these problems by following some simple procedures.

Generally, no wall should be more than 36 inches high. If you need to hold back more slope than that, I recommend creating a terrace type effect.

Build the bottom wall, then move back three or more feet and build another wall above it on the slope. This will produce a series of step-like structures, which not only hold the slope back, but also create small planting areas between the walls.

The walls should also be built at slight angles off of vertical, about one inch back for each twelve inches of height, tilting into the hillside. This helps prevent outward leaning, which is common to directly vertical walls. Walls should also have proper drainage behind them.

Construction elements can solve many property problems. By following a few guidelines, you can turn landscaping liabilities into effective and natural looking assets.