Creating More Definition Across This Sloped University City Front Yard
This University City front yard slopes down to the sidewalk and street, and the raised beds had nothing holding them at the bottom. In one working day we built two low natural stone retaining walls along the front, dry-stacked with no mortar. They follow the slope instead of flattening it, so the beds now sit behind a clean edge.
A Sloped Front Yard With Beds Running Down to the Sidewalk
The front yard of this University City home sits above the sidewalk and slopes across the whole lot. The homeowner wanted the front of the house to look finished.
The raised beds along the front had no edge. They ran straight down into the slope toward the sidewalk.
Bare Soil and No Edge at the Bottom of the Slope
The slope at this University City house ran from the beds right down to the sidewalk. The ground was uneven, the grass was patchy, and a strip of bare soil and loose gravel sat along the edge of the walk. Nothing was holding the beds in place at the bottom.
We didn’t flatten the yard. The better fix was to work with the slope that was already there and give the beds an edge to sit behind.
Dry-Stacked Natural Stone Walls That Follow the Slope
We built two low natural stone retaining walls along the front of the yard, between the raised beds and the sidewalk. The longer wall wraps the front and side of the main bed, and a shorter section holds the ground at the left end near the utility pole. Both follow the existing slope instead of fighting it.
The stone is dry-stacked with no mortar, with drainage behind the walls as on every retaining wall we build. Natural stone suits an older brick home like this one and doesn’t look like a new block wall dropped onto it. This is the kind of natural stone retaining wall installation that fits a short slope.
The completed project included:
- Two low natural stone retaining walls along the front of the yard
- Dry-stacked stone, no mortar
- Drainage behind the walls
- Raised planting beds held in place above the sidewalk
- A clean edge between the beds, the sidewalk and the street
- Installation in one working day
Raised Beds That Stay Put Above the Sidewalk
The front of this University City home used to be an open slope running down to the sidewalk. Now the stone retaining walls hold the beds in place and give the yard a clear line along the street.
The beds and the sidewalk are separate now. The crew finished both walls in one working day, which the homeowner mentioned in their Google review.
Signs Your Front Slope Needs a Retaining Wall
Walk along your sidewalk after a hard rain. If you see soil or mulch washed onto the walk at the bottom of a slope, or your beds have no edge where they meet the lawn, the slope needs something to hold it. A low stone wall at the bottom is often enough on a short front slope. If you’d like someone to look at yours, our crew covers University City and the rest of our St. Louis service areas.