Top 3 Reasons To Add A Retaining Wall To Your Florida Panhandle Landscape

One of the factors that draws prospective homeowners to Florida is the beauty and variety of our natural surroundings. Beaches, swamps and even rainforests create a sense of natural wonder in a state more than 19 million people call home.

Those natural surroundings were formed over thousands of years — your landscape can offer the same sense of wonder, but it might take a little effort. If you’ve already got your plants squared away, why not think about adding hardscaping next?

Here are a few reasons to consider a retaining wall in your Florida panhandle landscape.

Prevent Erosion

The biggest reason homeowners choose to install retaining walls on their property is to prevent erosion from occurring in areas of their landscape that are sloped or otherwise prone to erosion.

In fact, next to planting trees and shrubs, retaining walls are your best line of defense against erosion! If constructed properly — preferably by a landscaping professional — retaining walls can hold back tons of weight and pressure against it.

Create Architectural Interest

Hardscaping of any type, from walkways and pathways to built-in firepits, can add a lovely contrast to the living elements of your Florida panhandle landscape.

In addition to that contrast, those hardscaping elements draw visitors’ eyes through your landscape and invite them to explore up close all the areas of your outdoor living space, not just what’s right in front of them or directly within view.

A retaining wall can add even further to that contrast and exploration by lending a texture of stone or concrete, as well as height and structure, to your landscape.

Define Areas Of Your Landscape

Finally, retaining walls — whether you’ve added one to contain erosion or simply add a little architectural interest to your landscape — can also create new, separate areas within your landscape: a raised bed, for instance, where there was once just a slightly sloped area of turfgrass. You can make a multi-tiered retaining wall with areas in the middle for planting a flower bed.

But a retaining wall can also form the foundation of a seating area in another part of your landscape; it can become a seat by building a wall that’s a bit wider along the top, or the retaining wall can form a back rest, with benches or another, shorter wall just below.

You can also use a retaining wall to delineate your patio area from a grassy area where your children play in your Florida panhandle landscape.

The opportunities for using retaining walls in your landscape are practically endless.

Building A Retaining Wall

The most important consideration about retaining walls is ensuring that they’re level when they are installed. A level installation, as well as a porous backfilling material, ensures the stability of your retaining wall.

You can build a retaining wall from just about any material, so long as it’s installed securely. Consider wood, stone, natural fieldstone, brick, or even specially made interlocking concrete blocks for a look that aligns with your design sensibilities.

Ready to start building? The landscape professionals at GreenEarth Landscape Services can help you construct the perfect retaining wall for your Florida panhandle landscape.

Give us a call at our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959, or call our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010 to set up an appointment. You can also fill out the online form on our website to schedule a consultation.

Want a little more inspiration? Download our FREE Landscape Planning Guide to spark your imagination.