Landscaping Wall Ideas
Landscaping wall ideas can be an integral part of any Houston landscaping plan. It does not matter what style of design characterizes your outdoor living space. Walls can be used to fulfill several purposes that contribute to curb appeal, comfort, and personal satisfaction. They can be built from a variety of materials as well, and they can be built in any area of the yard.
Walls play many different roles in Houston landscaping design. They are not always used as barriers, although privacy is one of the most important functions they perform in certain zones of interest. Landscaping wall ideas are often based on a blend of aesthetic and practical concerns. One of the most important things they do is to create vertical impact in places where drama and interest are needed to catch the attention of guests. Walls do not have to be very high to do this. In fact, the majority of decorative walls are only a few feet high. They rise just high enough to lend a sense of architecture to the adjacent elements they compliment.
The best landscaping wall ideas can be said to spring from the landscape itself. By this we mean that the layout of a particular area helps us to determine what type of wall will work best in that area. One of the reasons we can customize structures to their specific environment is greatly attributable to the enormous diversity of materials that we can use for wall construction. Stone, brick, and decorative concrete are the three most common materials used in wall construction. Variation in the size, color, and the finish of these materials allows them to be used in Houston landscaping plans ranging from the very rustic to the ultra formal and contemporary.
Location also helps defines the scale and scope of these structures in relation to neighboring Houston landscaping elements. Landscaping wall ideas are developed in scale and scope to other forms in their immediate environment. Walls that surround properties like fences tend to be very tall because they are deliberately constructed for the purpose of maintaining strong boundaries and strict privacy.
In courtyards, however, walls are frequently much lower so that people can look over the top of the wall and enjoy a panoramic view of the rest of the yard. Garden walls vary from small to mid-level heights and are typically built to reinforce the sense of special space that the garden represents. Retaining walls represent a unique blend of landscaping architecture, grade management, and softscape designs. In addition to protecting the Houston landscape against erosion, they also provide an ideal place to grow a variety of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees.
Clients who contact Exterior Worlds are encouraged to develop their own landscaping wall ideas and to share them with their Houston landscaping consultant. An online web search will bring up thousands of pictures that can serve as inspiration for new designs. Even walls that may not look like they will fit the design of a particular property can be modified by landscape architects to compliment the architecture of the home and to work with the surrounding features of the yard.