If you need to level your backyard to make it a safer place for your children to play, build a retaining wall out of stone, brick, or manufactured blocks. This is a superb way to create a beautiful boundary for your yard.
You can use wider stone or blocks on top to create additional attractive seating in your patio area. You can also turn the area behind the wall into a lovely flower garden.
Dig a trench into the hill where you want your wall to stand. Make sure it’s 3 inches wider than the widest stone or blocks you will use.
Fill the trend with a 3 to 4-inch stone base. Tamp down well.
Begin leveling in your first layer of stone or block. Use a level to make sure the top is straight. Use landscape fabric in the back to prevent soil erosion.
Continue to lay in stone or block. This will make your wall solid and far less likely to topple.
Backfill with granular material of your choice. Grade the back away from the top to avoid water runoff.
Consider planting moss between the top stones or blocks for a graceful touch.
A well-constructed freestanding wall can last for decades. For a more attractive look, try a dark gray mortar to hold the stone or blocks together. People will enjoy the look.
If you already have a bare concrete or cinder block retaining wall that you don’t enjoy looking at, consider lining it with stacked stone veneer panels.