Ideas For Landscaping Rock Walls
Whether you’re looking at rock wall landscaping or boulder walls landscaping, this is a technique that can be traced back centuries. Take a trip through the English Cotswolds and you’ll find beautiful rock walls that have stood since the middle ages. This technique made its way to New England from old England and is now a popular, aesthetic style across the United States.
Landscaping rock walls offer some fantastic benefits, both practical and aesthetic, and time has proven them to be a unique but efficient choice for homeowners looking to build with retaining wall contractors.
The two main options for building landscaping rock walls are to build with rocks or boulders. This choice can be made based on aesthetic tastes or on what you have available in terms of resources and space. Here’s everything you need to know about landscaping rock walls.
Rock Wall Landscaping
Also known as stone wall landscaping, this approach to building a retaining wall involves using a large selection of smaller stones and rocks to form a wall, the height and width of which is mostly up to you, though, if you are going with the traditional mortarless method, the wall should be no taller than three feet.
How a Rock Wall Can Help
The main purpose of landscaping rock walls is to separate different levels of land, ensuring that all of the space in your yard is being fully utilized while also looking pleasing to the eye. What makes rock retaining wall landscaping unique is the fact that it requires no mortar or even a concrete footing. Everything is free-standing.
Related Article: https://newliferockeries.com/types-of-landscaping-stone/
For a landscaping rock wall to work, you do need to consider your materials as well as your location. The wall also requires a trench which measures twelve inches deep and has a width which is half the height of the wall itself.
Boulder Walls Landscaping
This is the second approach to creating your own retaining wall. As the name suggests, boulder wall landscaping involves using much larger boulders to create your wall, rather than a larger number of smaller rocks and stones. While this method can be more expensive, due to the equipment required to move and properly install the boulders, it does have some of its own unique benefits.
How a Boulder Wall Helps Your Landscape
The largest benefit of building a boulder wall is the natural drainage it offers. Because of the gaps between boulders, excess water runoff is easily drained away. This comes in particularly useful for homeowners looking to build a large garden on the layer above the boulder wall.
Tips for Landscaping Rock Walls
If you are considering rock wall landscaping, here are a few tips that are worth keeping in mind before you get started:
- Think about the type of stone or boulder you want to use. There are a number of options so do your research or consult an expert before you commit.
- Consider your location carefully. This will determine how the wall looks, how it is used, as well as how tall and wide it will end up being.
- When assembling your stone wall, remember to keep your flattest stones for the initial bottom later and the final top layer of your wall.
- Before you do anything, check with your local building authority for any codes or regulations. Permits may be required and inspections may need to be carried out.
Professional Rock Wall Landscaping Near You
Are you looking for an expert opinion on which kind of rock wall you should install on your property? Here at New Life Rockeries, our team of professional landscaping contractor have been building rock walls since 1975. Contact us today to get your questions answered and to request an estimate for your own rock or boulder wall.