Retaining Walls When is a retaining wall a good addition to a property? Retaining walls typically serve one of two specific purposes in a landscape design:  structural or simply to enhance the beauty of the setting by using either precast segmental retaining blocks or natural stone pieces that are stacked, while some homeowners choose to used boulder rocks that are placed strategically to create a wall. Structural walls are necessary when a wall supports soil through a change in grade on the property and can help to level out a yard to include more useable space for the homeowner.  Here in Missouri there are many homes that have a significant grade change in either their front or back yards, with the use of a retaining wall Landscape Concepts is able to give a homeowner an area to include more aesthetic plantings around your property as well as far more appealing outdoor spaces that turn from unusable to useable. Retaining walls can fulfill a number of aesthetic purposes in landscape design. Raised planters and border garden walls can create an interesting setting for plantings, and use of a sitting wall surrounding a patio can define the patio space and provide additional seating. Low voltage lighting can be incorporated within a wall by the use of recessed lights, or can be placed on the top of a pillar at the end of a wall to help define the space. At Landscape Concepts we typically install two types of retaining walls, composite segmental retaining walls using materials such as Versa Lok and Belgard blocks, or creating a more rustic wall with the use of natural cut flagstone pieces.  Either choice is up to the customer and can make a massive impact on not only the curb appeal of your home but can also increase your property value at the same time.  However, there is a time and place to use any type of wall and certain site conditions can also affect the material to be used, natural stone can only be used to create a wall up to two feet tall, while composite blocks can create much taller walls and add more support depending on the grade changes at your home. Contact Landscape Concepts today and an experienced designer will come out and meet with you to assess your needs and help transform your yard from ordinary to extraordinary.