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Retaining Wall

8 years ago

We have a cynderblock retaining wall. We've put another retaining wall in the front yard but I'm not sure what to do with the cynderblock one. I feel as though it's an eye sore. I've considered painting it or maybe stucco but I'm not sure. I'd love some diy ideas!

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Comments (5)

Tai M
8 years ago
Plant a row of plants that will spill over the side & conceal the wall. California fuchsia is a showy plant with bright red blossoms & silvery gray leaves. It spills beautifully over walls. Or there is a prostrate form of Rosemary. Ask for suggestions at your local independent nursery.
hayleydaniels
8 years ago
If your city is anything like mine, if you plant something that spills onto the sidewalk, you'll be cited by code enforcement, given a period of time to clean it up and then fined. My elderly in-laws had a bush that stuck out into the city sidewalk so they got a letter from the city informing them that if they didn't cut it back within the next 7 days, the city would do and charge them for the labor! This was in the dead of winter so my husband was over there on his days off cleaning it up.

As for your retaining wall, start by pressure washing it.
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twobluejays
8 years ago
I agree with Hayley. Pressure wash it. I would not recommend painting it for the simple reason that there is probably quite a bit of moisture and peeling paint/upkeep is the last thing you need. Your eye just needs to be drawn up toward the house, as the house is lovely and the porch is gorgeous. The cinderblock just needs to be ignored. Cleaned then ignored.

I would move all the plantings up by the porch foundation into the perennial garden that you have started. A simple line of dwarf boxwoods along the upper foundation to just cover the cinderblock as a neat hedge. Keep them trimmed to below the porch floor.

Plant ivy or some cascading plant under the boxood. The ivy will cascade over your small knee wall and can be kept trimmed very easily. Just a thought, any cascading plant over your city retaining wall along the sidewalk, if you are allowed, needs to be flower free. If they flower and attract bees, well, many people are skittish around bees so plant for bees up in the perennial bed! Add a size appropriate tree to your perennial bed, off center. You need just a bit of vertical interest.

Guessing you to be in Zone 5 for planting.
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Revolutionary Gardens
8 years ago
Looking at the age of that wall I'd be super cautious going anywhere near it with a pressure washer lest you blow mortar right out of the joints. If you're considering stucco I'd have the mason first give it a checkup to make sure it's not leaning the wrong way or showing settling issues, then repoint as needed. You don't want to stucco a wall that's moving because stucco doesn't move. You'll get cracks almost immediately.

Hard making much more of a recommendation without knowing the viability of the wall. We live in an older neighborhood with lots of old walls. Some are holding up great, some are one fat pigeon from ending up in the street. Hard to know from a photo.
PRO
Northern Lights Landscape
8 years ago
I agree with Revolutionary Gardens... Definitely check the walls stability before going too far with any project concerning it. If it check out however, plants that hang down and some natural growing moss might boost its aesthetic!

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Moss-Graffiti

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