The Ground is Either With Us of Against Us

The ground plane of our yards can either work for us or against us. Maybe we want a slope for a waterfall. It could be that we have too much slope. There are a lot of ways to change the look of the ground plane to work better for us. 

Retaining Walls are great for holding back the soil and giving us a flat spot of land. They can be expensive and when not done right they can cause great problems. Retaining walls can be out of wood, rock, block, tires, straw, and so much more. A good retaining wall will be sturdy and have a solid foundation that is buried in the ground. A lesser retaining wall will move over time.

Another way to deal with slope is plants. Plants are great for keeping soil in place and adding life to a landscape. There are a variety of shrubs and groundcovers that will spread their roots and hold the soil in place. Lawn will hold the soil in place, but it is difficult to keep watered and you may need soccer cleats to keep from sliding down the hill when you mow the lawn.

Adding dimension to a flat yard is much easier. Soil with or without walls can add hills and levels to a boring space. Added topography can create spaces and define use areas. Planter boxes can be used to create the feeling of changing grade without needing the space or added expense of imported soil. Planter boxes and walls can also help to diminish noises. 

A little change in the ground plane can bring many options of variation in the landscape. It can provide the option for a small wall, steps in the landscape for visual interest, a natural drainage channel for a dry creek bed, varied mounds throughout the yard. Recognizing the opportunities that our yards provide can bring so much more life and interest to the spaces we see every day.