O’Fallon Landscaping and Hardscapes

A retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it. Some materials used to create retaining walls include concrete blocks, poured concrete, rocks, boulders, and stacked pavers.

If your yard has slopes, dips, and inclines, this could be a sign that you are in need of a retaining wall.  Retaining walls are used in a variety of ways, from large corporate buildings to common home landscaping.  Their main function is to hold back the soil or otherwise, the soil would erode creating issues.  As a homeowner, you will rely on retaining walls to keep soil contained in raised beds and to keep soil from eroding when planting tiered landscaping beds.

In a landscaped setting, retaining walls have several purposes that involve keeping the earth in place.  They are vital for building walkout basements and any other hardscape that comes with ground elevation changes.  Retaining walls are commonly found in parks and gardens as decorative ways to protect landscaping, plants, and statues.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to patio hardscape design, and you may already know some of the features that you really want.  From topography to budget constraints, not every patio hardscape will work for your space.  Trying to cram too much design into your build will only create headaches down the road.  

Designing a dining area requires the appropriate amount of space.  The size of table and how many chairs will determine what size you should be considering.  Dining areas can be constructed of concrete, pavers, or even a combination of pavers and loose stone.

A fire pit tends to be the main attraction of the homeowner’s outdoor experience.  Safety comes into play first and foremost, so you want to consider the most comfortable design without compromising safety.  This usually means creating a five foot buffer.  Typical dimensions of most stone fire pits have an inside diameter of 36 inches, and a height of around 15 inches.

Perennials in the landscape provide sustainable aesthetic appeal.  Incorporating perennials within your property will help create a beautiful landscape year after year.

Sometimes you will notice a landscape that looks flat and unattractive.  You can avoid this by creating depth with plants that have different heights, rotate colors, and making visual boundaries between each ‘space’.  Add vertical plants to change the dynamic of your landscape by choosing tree’s, grasses, taller bushes, and climbing vines.

It is extremely important to plant in groupings of odd numbers, especially three or five.  Planting in odd numbers is usually inviting and soothing to our balance-seeking brains.  Limit planting one of something, to avoid a loud and non-flowing landscape.

Any plant in the landscape that completes its lifecycle in one year is considered an annual.  Flowers are the most common example of annuals.  Annual flowers play a crucial role in landscaping because they provide a burst of color all season long.  These annuals allow you to experiment with new colors and ideas each year.

Different annuals have various sunlight preferences.  Choose flowers like Petunias and Marigolds for sun-loving areas, and choose begonias and Impatiens for shady areas.

Annual flowers need well-drained soil and the right fertilizer nutrients to do well throughout the growing season.

The United States is split up into 10 zones that represent various climates.  When purchasing annual flowers, choosing the right annual for your climate is essential.