A Landscape Wall or Garden Wall — 5 Great Reasons to Have One

A garden wall in Columbia, SC built from reclaimed bricks surrounded by brown mulch and small bushes — landscaping and garden wall by Boots On Enterprises.

Landscaping involves plants, flowers, grass, and mulch, of course. But it is about much more than that. Hardscaping is also a key component of professional landscaping services that can’t be overlooked if you’d like your hard to look its best.

Hardscaping includes anything added to the property that is not living like patio pavers, walkways, pavement, decking, retaining walls, garden walls, and landscaping walls. 

Having professionally designed and installed landscaping makes a world of difference in the appearance and functionality of your property. And it’s a huge boost to your curb appeal.

In this post, we’ll cover all your biggest questions about landscaping walls/garden walls like:

• What is a landscaping wall and what is a garden wall?

• What is a garden wall?

• 5 benefits of a landscaping wall or garden wall

• What is a retaining wall for a garden?

• What types of landscaping walls are available?

• How much do landscaping walls cost?

What is a landscaping wall and what is a garden wall?

A garden wall or landscaping wall is a short wall, usually 1.5 to 2 feet tall, that is generally made of stone, brick, concrete blocks, or poured concrete.

The difference between the two is generally that a garden wall stands alone and a landscaping wall might retain 1.5 to 2 feet of soil in an elevated bed.

5 benefits of a landscaping wall or garden wall

Garden and landscape walls…

• May act as a garden border for a landscaping feature.

• Landscaping walls have the additional ability to hold back soil for a raised flower bed.

• Can function as a seating area.

• Add visual/architectural interest.

• May act as a perimeter wall for the boundary of the yard.

Let’s look into how these walls can provide these four functions in your yard.

Garden border edging

Landscape walls are perfect for low maintenance garden border ideas that provide a sharp demarcation between flower beds and the lawn. You don’t have to worry about mulch escaping from the garden or the line between your yard and garden getting muddled or unclear.

Enclose a raised flower bed

Short garden retaining walls/landscaping walls can keep the mulch and top soil contained nicely and add some contrasting texture and visual elements to your yard. They provide a very polished look for your landscaping beds and neatly separate the garden or flower beds from the grass.

A concrete seat wall (made of garden wall block) with a wide cap on top makes a scenic place to sit and enjoy the view in this yard with manicured landscaping and a paver patio.

Seating wall

What is a seat wall? An 18-inch to two-foot tall landscaping wall toped with a 12-inch wide capstone makes for a perfect place for guests to sit during outdoor parties. Or for parents and grandparents to sit and watch the kids play in the yard.

A patio seating wall/patio sitting wall can be a short free-standing wall (like a garden wall) or a retaining wall. Homeowners love to have a sitting wall around patios because it instantly expands your outdoor seating capacity without adding any clutter to the space. And, when it is not in use, it adds to the sense of style in your outdoor living area.

Architectural interest

Another important purpose of landscaping walls is that they add architectural elements and interest to your property. This provides a big boost to your curb appeal. It’s a longlasting investment that serves as a hallmark of your home’s unique personality and design.

Perimeter wall

When used along the border of your yard, landscaping walls can also function as perimeter walls to clearly show where your property begins and ends. It’s a fantastic way to discourage outsiders from stepping onto your property. And it makes it easy for you or your landscaping team to know where to begin lawn maintenance and services.

A good boundary wall design looks welcoming but is also an accurate representation of the border between your property and your neighbor’s land.

If you want something that blocks the view of curious onlookers and keeps other people and animals out, especially for the back yard, a privacy wall or taller fence may be a better option for you. Sometimes, people like to have a garden wall with a metal fence on top if they don’t need privacy and just want something functional and beautiful.

A modern seating wall that also acts as a landscaping retaining wall made of stacked stones.

What is a retaining wall for a garden?

Garden walls are not always retaining walls. But retaining walls can be garden walls. That may sound confusing if you don’t spend a lot of time building walls. So what’s the difference?

A garden wall vs retaining wall and a landscaping wall vs retaining wall

A garden wall is a short wall (about 2 feet high) that can be free-standing and primarily ornamental. 

A landscaping wall is a short wall (about 2 feet high) that is strong enough to withstand the pressure of holding back 1.5 to 2 feet of soil. So, basically, it is a short retaining wall.

A retaining wall may look the same and be made of the same basic material as a garden wall or landscaping wall, but it also needs to be strong enough to hold soil back and prevent erosion. It maintains sharp elevation changes. And it is generally about 3-feet tall or taller. A retaining wall also needs a proper drainage system so that rainwater doesn’t build up and create too much pressure on the retaining wall and cause it to fail.

A landscaping block wall made with concrete blocks provides a rustic look under the cheerful floral blooms in this flower bed.

What types of landscaping walls are available?

Let’s take a look at the different types of materials that can be used to build a garden or landscaping wall to accentuate your yard. Concrete block, poured concrete, natural stone, and brick are all great options. It’s just a matter of finding the right one for your project.

A garden block wall

Garden wall blocks/landscape wall blocks can be used to make a sturdy, beautiful wall for a garden. These block walls for landscaping are made of molded concrete 

Block walls for landscaping make a great choice for several reasons:

• Often a lot less expensive than other materials like brick or natural stone.

• Can be made into curved shapes very easily.

• Long-lasting and durable.

• Easy to install landscape lighting in the wall.

Landscaping wall block is relatively easy to install and low-maintenance.

A garden concrete wall

Another choice of material is poured concrete for a landscaping wall. Poured concrete has a lot of advantages in that it is relatively inexpensive and easy to pour into any shape of wall you’d like. Plus, you can dress it up with veneer brick, stone, or tile to make it look extra high-end. Or you can have it stained or painted to fit the aesthetic you are looking for.

Landscaping wall stones are being built into a stone garden wall for a raised flower bed beside stone steps.

A garden stone wall 

There is something magical about stone wall landscaping. Natural stone just adds such rich character and depth to a project. You can opt for naturally shaped stone or uncut stone.

For a garden wall, stones have been used for thousands of years. You really can’t go wrong with this option. And stone walls for landscaping can be expected to last one- or even two-hundred years.

Stone garden walls can be dry laid — without mortar — or wet laid, with some type of mortar or binder.

With natural stone blocks, you also have a choice of earthy colors ranging from cream, to beige, brown, and red.

Consider stone types like fieldstone, granite, bluestone, limestone, or sandstone.

If the cost of natural stone blocks is too expensive, a cheaper garden wall alternative is to use poured concrete or concrete block and cover it with a veneer of stone.

A garden wall of bricks creates a beautiful landscaping area for this brick home in Columbia, SC — garden wall installed by Boots On Enterprises

A garden brick wall

Brick is one of the most versatile options for a garden wall. It can be formed into almost any shape you like from straight lines to flowing curves. There are many differenet color and size options. And you can dress it up with a fancy cap or seating area, if you’d like.

Types of brick for a garden wall include:

• Clay bricks

• Soft mud brick

• Concrete blocks

• Reclaimed bricks

• Thin brick veneer

Another great thing about brick is that it can be stained or painted to give the look you really desire that will be the perfect complement to your home and landscaping design.

Brick can be more expensive than concrete block. But you may be able to find reclaimed brick or check with your builder to find out about more affordable options like thin brick veneer.

A short brick landscaping wall provides a perfect border for the raised landscaping area in front of a tall brick wall in a backyard.

How much do garden walls cost? And how much do landscaping walls cost?

The average cost of building a garden wall or landscaping wall is about $6-9k with a range of $3k to $14k. 

Landscaping and retaining walls are usually more expensive than free-standing garden walls since they need to be stronger. And the higher ones need drainage systems integrated into their design, as well.

The cost of a landscaping wall, garden wall, or retaining wall depends on several factors:

• The size of the wall (length, width, height).

• Which material you choose.

• Labor costs.

• How complicated the project is.

• Whether you need a lot of prep work done first or other services.

• How accessible the area is.

• Whether you need waste disposal from an old wall or fence.

• What kind of foundation and drainage system is needed.

The best way to find out what your project will cost is to ask a garden wall contractor near you for a quote.

Ready to talk about landscaping wall installation in Columbia, SC?

Whether you want a garden wall using landscaping wall blocks, stone, poured concrete, or brick, we’ve got you covered.

At Boots On Enterprises, we can take care of all your landscaping needs including hardscape installation, lawn care, tree services, and paving.

Please contact us today for a FREE quote.

Phone: 803-521-4978

Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com

Next-day or same-week service is available.