What plants can you put behind a retaining wall?
Creeping phlox, creeping thyme, lysimachia, flowering trailers like Cascadia and Surfinia petunias if you will maintain it. If you want to just plant and forget use a spreading Juniper like Blue Star or Green Mound. Cascading Flowering Plants Garden varieties of Creeping Phlox are available in shades of pink, purple, lavender, and pale blue. Trailing Lobelia can technically be a perennial, but it is pretty tender, so most people grow it as an annual. It mounds up to 6 inches tall and trails over the sides of its container.Creeping Phlox is one of those hardy perennial plants that will spread and spill beautifully over the edges of a retaining wall. Its foliage is evergreen and blossoms from mid to late summer. Garden varieties of Creeping Phlox are available in shades of pink, purple, lavender, and pale blue.
What is the best material to fill behind a retaining wall?
The key to a stable retaining wall is a solid and well-compacted gravel base. It helps distribute weight evenly across the wall and prevents soil erosion. A layer of at least 6 inches of ¾” minus road gravel is recommended for your base material. Some of the most common causes of retaining wall failure include: Poor Drainage: Water buildup behind the wall creates hydrostatic pressure, pushing outward and increasing the risk of overturning or sliding.Absolutely! Even a 2-foot retaining wall needs an effective drainage system. Without it, water can build up behind the wall, leading to pressure that might cause the wall to lean or even collapse. All walls need systems to manage water effectively, preventing damage over time.In conclusion, building a retaining wall is a complex project that requires expert planning and execution. Avoiding common mistakes like inadequate drainage, improper material selection, insufficient wall height, lack of proper backfill, and ignoring local building codes is crucial for a successful project.Problem: Foundation problems can cause the retaining wall to shift or settle unevenly. This is often due to poor soil conditions, inadequate compaction, or water infiltration. Solution: Soil Testing: Conduct soil tests to determine the stability and composition of the soil before building a retaining wall.
How do you fill behind a retaining wall?
Backfill refers to the dirt behind the wall. In order to provide proper drainage, at least 12 inches of granular backfill (gravel or a similar aggregate) should be installed directly behind the wall. Compacted native soil can be used to backfill the rest of the space behind the wall. In order to provide proper drainage, at least 12 inches of granular backfill (gravel or a similar aggregate) should be installed directly behind the wall. Compacted native soil can be used to backfill the rest of the space behind the wall.Utilize Filter Fabrics: Place geotextile filter fabrics behind the retaining wall to prevent the migration of fine soil particles into drainage paths. Backfill with Gravel: Use clean, coarse gravel as backfill near the drainage pipes to enhance water filtration and flow.
What should I put behind a retaining wall?
DRAINAGE AGGREGATE (GRAVEL BACKFILL & CORE FILL) Behind every properly built retaining wall is a layer of free-draining gravel or crushed stone. This drainage aggregate allows water to flow freely rather than getting trapped in the soil. Use 3/4 clean crushed stone (avoid pea gravel or sand, which retain water). Install a gravel base A gravel or crushed stone base beneath and behind the retaining wall helps improve drainage and reduce erosion. The gravel allows water to pass through easily, preventing it from building up behind the wall and putting pressure on it.
What to put behind a sleeper retaining wall?
Drainage behind the wall We recommend using a lightweight pea gravel and filling two thirds of the height of the structure, you can then fill the rest with your choice of top soil, or if you are laying a patio on top, fill half with pea gravel or your choice of drainage medium and then fill with compacted Type 1. Fill in the area behind the blocks with drainage aggregate, at least 12 inches from the wall. You may need to place and backfill several courses to achieve the proper drainage level. Cover the drain tile with a geotextile sock which acts as a filter.