Retaining walls are an excellent way to control soil erosion on your property. If you have a small flower bed that needs a little more definition or want to frame it with stone or brick, a retaining wall is the perfect solution. This article will show you how to build a small retaining wall for your flower bed easily in a weekend.
Dig out the area to create a 6 inch deep base for the wall.
Dig out the area to create a 6 inch deep base for the wall. Use a shovel to dig out the area, making sure it’s level and 6 inches deep.
Use a level to make sure you are digging down to where you want it (about 6 inches). If you want your wall taller than that, now is the time to make it so by adding more dirt at the bottom of your excavation. Lay landscape fabric down over the ground in order to prevent weeds from growing through your retaining wall later on in its life cycle. Fill in around this landscape fabric with rock or gravel before starting with building up layers of concrete blocks or bricks on top of that material base.
Lay landscape fabric down to prevent weeds from growing in your rock.
Lay landscape fabric down to prevent weeds from growing in your rock.
Landscape fabric is a barrier between your soil and the rocks, preventing weeds from growing in the soil. It helps prevent erosion and keeps the soil from washing away during heavy rains. Landscape fabric is a porous fabric so it allows air and water to pass through, which prevents root rot for your plants and helps them grow better. There are different sizes and thicknesses available at most local nurseries or home improvement stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Fill that area with rock up to 3 inches from the top.
- Fill that area with rock up to 3 inches from the top. Use a shovel or trowel to gently pack the dirt around each brick until it’s level. Do this on all sides, including the top and bottom of your wall.
- Tuck soil between each brick making sure they’re aligned and level, using your feet or knees if need be (you don’t want to get dirty!)
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you are within 3 inches of where you want your retaining wall to stop at its highest point.
- Make sure there is enough room for a final level on top of that one as well
Dig a trench on each side of the area for your first course of stone or brick.
Now that you have the stones and brick laid out, it’s time to get them into place. Here are the instructions for doing so:
- Dig a trench on each side of the area for your first course of stone or brick. The trench should be about 3 inches deep and 1 foot wide, but don’t worry too much about measuring it exactly—the important thing is just that it’s deep enough for your first course. You can do this by hand with a shovel or trowel (which are tools used by gardeners), or use an electric drill if you have one available. The latter option is usually faster, but either way will work fine as long as you’re careful not to damage roots coming up from below ground level while digging.
- Lay your first course of stones or bricks across both trenches at once and pack soil around them so they stay in place when filled in further down later on (this will also help keep things level).
- Fill dirt around these stones or bricks so none show above ground level anymore; this part takes some patience because there might be gaps between rocks where dirt doesn’t fit perfectly well yet – just keep filling until everything looks good enough for now.
Lay your first course of stone or brick and make sure it is level. Combine large stones with small stones so the wall is level.
- Lay your first course of brick or stone and make sure it is level.
- Combine large stones with small stones so the wall is level.
- Make sure all of the joints are tight and there is no mortar spilling out of them.
Fill around your stones or brick with rock or gravel. You can use a small trowel to tuck dirt between bricks to hold them in place so they don’t shift over time.
Fill around your stones or brick with rock or gravel. You can use a small trowel to tuck dirt between bricks to hold them in place so they don’t shift over time.
You may need to use a rubber mallet to get them into place, but be careful not to dislodge any of the existing soil from beneath them (and thus cause erosion). You want enough space between each layer of stone or brick that you’re creating a tiered effect, so give yourself room for another layer of stones or bricks.
Lay your next course of stone or brick on top of your first course, staggering it. Use a rubber mallet to get them into place. Then fill along the sides as you did with the first course, but don’t pour all the way to the top. Leave room so you can do the same thing on top of this layer and leave enough room for a final level on top of that one as well so you have a three-level retaining wall.
Don’t pour all of your first layer. Leave room so that you can do the same thing with the next layer, then leave enough room for a final level on top of that one as well so you have a three-level retaining wall.
Flower bed retaining wall ideas are easy to find online, and there are many brands of retaining walls available at your local home improvement store. Do your research before buying a wall, and shop around for the best price. You may also want to take advantage of any opportunities for discounts or coupons offered by manufacturers when purchasing multiple units in bulk quantities.
Conclusion
Now that you have built a retaining wall, you can enjoy your beautiful flower bed. You will also have a higher level of security from potential water damage because it will not be able to seep into your home. If you want to make sure that no one can see into your yard or get easy access over the wall, consider adding a fence around it for privacy purposes so people cannot climb over and take things out of your yard if they are not supposed to be there.
