Attach creatively with walls or plants

Fastening the embankment - you have these options

The fortification of a slope with walls is always necessary if there are height differences between different properties or if there are steep slopes on a property. The concrete industry offers a wide variety of components for this purpose Embankment reinforcement can of course also be carried out with traditional natural stones or components made of wood.

Wall types and materials

In this section you will find out which materials are available to you for fastening such a slope by means of a wall. Keep in mind that walls always need a concrete foundation so that the construction is stable and can withstand the pressure of the slope.

wood

Wood is a beautiful, but rather weather-prone material for fastening embankments

Retaining walls made of wood consist mainly of sleepers or round timber, which are mostly made from European types of wood. They are nice to look at, but only have a limited shelf life. The critical point lies in the alternating damp zone between earth and air, where the wood is preferably destroyed. Subsequent wood-protective coatings are of no use, at best you hesitate to delay the rot process with a wood that has been pretreated with a deep impregnation.

Suitable materials for wooden retaining walls

Pressure-impregnated sleepers or palisades are well suited for embankments. The special boiler pressure process achieves depth protection of up to one centimeter. As a rule, these are saline solutions that are odorless and give the wood a greenish-brown appearance. This chemical protection, especially against fungal attack, is essential when wood comes into contact with earth.

Wood is prone to rot

Since sleepers and round timbers have to be stuck vertically in a concrete foundation in order to withstand the pressure of the earth, the transition point between the wood and the ground is particularly prone to rot. This is where the weak point of even the best impregnated wood lies, because the dammed water penetrates the wood at these points. Even a layer of roofing felt or foil on the soil-filled side is of no use. In view of this problem, wooden walls should not be planned as permanent ground supports - unless you want a new garden after 15 years and are therefore happy when something breaks goes.

Dry stone walls

Building a stone wall composed of small pieces as a dry stone wall without binding agents in the joints is best achieved with regularly processed natural stones that are deeply integrated into the slope. The wall should "lean against the slope" and in the lower area should be at least a third as wide as it is high.

Here are some things to look out for in a supportive drywall:

In doing so, the stones are brought into the back wall. In this way, the dry stone wall remains stable for a long time and grows lush over time. Layering concrete embankment stones on top of one another also results in a type of dry stone wall. It is important that the stones are slightly staggered back so that planting holes are created that absorb rainwater. In addition, the stability of the wall increases if it leans slightly against the slope.

Concrete walls

Concrete blocks are available in many shapes and colors, some even look very similar to natural stones. Such concrete consists of colored material or admixtures of colored natural stone chippings. In many systems there are matching shaped stones such as corners, angles, foot and head parts as well as end stones for these stones, comparable to a construction kit. The structure is then relatively simple, but requires precise planning of the required molded parts.

Drawing makes planning easier

When buying material for such a wall, you always have a drawing drawn up beforehand, from which the amount of material should then be evident. The stones for such walls are delivered as ready-split individual stones and only have to be placed on top of each other, with the lowest layer naturally on a frost-proof concrete foundation should rest.

Retaining walls made of hollow blocks

Hollow blocks made of aerated concrete, such as those used to build houses, can also be used to build retaining walls. The disadvantage of them is that they are not very attractive and the wall created in this way still has to be plastered. The advantage of such stones, however, is that such a wall can be built up very quickly due to the size of the stone.

L-stones made of concrete

Molded concrete blocks are heavy, L-shaped elements that are usually used as a retaining wall or for Slope reinforcement can be used. They come in different heights, although the larger ones are often so heavy that they can only be put in place with the help of a crane. On the other hand, because of their large contact area, they do not require a deep concrete foundation and can be placed directly on a ballast bed with compensating concrete.

Digression

What are embankment stones?

Embankment stones not only secure the slope, they can also be easily planted

Concrete embankment stones are specially made to reinforce the slope. These are open and very large-pored, horseshoe-shaped, round or angular concrete blocks that are placed on top of one another in layers. They are available in different sizes in the colors concrete gray or sandstone red. If several of these stones are placed on top of one another, the cavities only need to be filled with stone material or concrete. Walls made of embankment stones look very massive.

Observe building and neighborhood law

As is so often the case in life, the rights of others must also be taken into account when building a wall. This is to prevent the neighbor from suffering disadvantages. It is helpful to deal with the legal restrictions at the planning stage instead of having to interrupt or even stop the work later during construction.

Different regulations

Sometimes a permit is required for the slope reinforcement

In most federal states, the provisions of neighboring law apply, which were developed from the German Civil Code (BGB). The regulations are very different and sometimes even differ from municipality to municipality, which is why you should plan For such construction work, if possible, ask the local building authority for advice or get an insight into the municipal building regulations to take.

In Baden-Württemberg, for example, this rule applies to retaining walls: for example, your own site excavated, i.e. deeper than the neighbor, either an embankment or a wall must form the neighboring area prop up. The wall can then stand directly on the border if it does not exceed a height of 150 centimeters. If the area is filled in, i.e. raised in relation to the neighbors, the same applies: embankments or walls up to 150 centimeters high end directly at the Property line.

Decorate walls

Whether or not a wall should be decorated depends on the building material used, the type of construction and the taste of the garden owner. In the case of natural or different designs with a varied structure and joints Artificial stone walls can do without additional decoration because their surface is already is appealing enough. It is different with raw materials such as hollow blocks, molded concrete parts or aerated concrete slabs. Such walls are usually

• plastered,
• painted in color,
• or by lining noble stone materials (natural stone, clinker brick, ceramics)

embellished. One of the classic methods is likely to be the well-known exposed aggregate concrete. In the case of an existing, but unsightly wall that has not been plastered or plastered If a coat of paint can be embellished, a planting with a rapidly growing one usually helps Climbing plant. A distinction is made between self-adhesive plant species and those that need a climbing aid. This is attached to the wall surface as a trellis. Pay attention to the necessary growth requirements for the plants, such as soil or light conditions.

Planting embankments - the other type of slope reinforcement

However, embankments can not only be fortified with walls, but also secured with the help of plants. This is especially true for slopes that are not too steep, which are mainly to be protected from soil erosion. For this purpose, choose the most deeply rooted perennials, shrubs and ground cover that practically hold the earth on the slope. Ground cover, in particular, does a good job here, as they basically act like a safety net.

This article shows how you can plant an embankment imaginatively and use it multiple times:

Video:

Suitable plants

Which plants are specifically suitable for planting an embankment depends on various factors. Above all, the light and ground conditions, but also the degree of inclination and the orientation of the sky, determine the selection. Incidentally, so-called plant mats, which are simply applied, have proven their worth on particularly steep embankments. Put the plants in the ground in the pre-punched holes, with the young plants be fixed by the mats on the slope and so a better hold until the successful growth to have. We would like to introduce you to some particularly suitable species at this point.

Perennials

Perennials are perennial plants whose above-ground parts of the plant usually freeze back in the winter months and sprout again vigorously in spring. Many combinations are possible here, depending on the composition of the soil and the light available on the slope. Basically, however, the plants should be very robust, because the living conditions on an embankment are not easy: they are usually higher up lying areas are more characterized by drought, as rainwater always runs down and then collects at the foot of the slope - so it is more likely at these points wet.

What to look for when planting an embankment

Choose the planting accordingly: Plant drought-loving and drought-loving plants higher up light-hungry plants, while further down plants with a higher need for moisture themselves feel more comfortable. Mulching The soil after planting, as this has an additional protective effect and counteracts erosion.

Bushes

Low shrubs and bushes are ideal for natural slope reinforcement

With deep-rooted shrubs, even steep slopes can be paved, especially if you combine them with ground cover. The following trees are particularly recommended for this purpose:

• Common broom (Cytisus scoparius): pretty, bright yellow flowers
• Boxwood (Buxus): very compatible with pruning, but threatened by the box tree moth in some regions
• Firethorn (Pyracantha): beautiful fruit decorations in bright colors
• Finger shrub (Potentilla fruticosa)
• Hunds-Rosen (Rosa canina): native shrub rose, becomes two to three meters high
• Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas): branches out well, therefore forms dense areas, strong pruning causes willing budding, lime-loving
• Creeping juniper (Juniperus communis 'Repanda')
• Privet (Ligustrum): robust, tolerates strong shade, evergreen, can be cut back to the base
• Buddleia (Buddleja)
• Holly (Ilex): can grow up to six meters high
• Ornamental quince (Chaenomeles)
• Medlars (Cotoneaster)

Ground cover

Ground covers are particularly well suited for planting embankments, as they hold the slope together like a net and also spread by themselves over time. Species such as

• Lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
• the different cranesbill species (geranium)
• Golden nettle (Lamium galeobdolon)
• Waldsteinie (also "golden strawberry", Waldsteinia ternata)
• Elven flower (Epimedium)
• Carpet St. John's Wort (Hypericum calycinum)
• Ysander (Pachysandra)
• Ivy (Hedera helix)

The last three species are evergreen and keep their green foliage even during the gray winter months.

Digression

Laying turf on the slope - that's how it works

frequently asked Questions

What is the best way to mow an embankment?

Grass on the slope must not be cut too short

Embankments should always be mowed across the slope. In addition, a maximum of one third of the leaf mass may be removed. The plants find it difficult to compensate for a further loss of mass, they are weakened and susceptible to diseases. The deeper the cut, the better the quality of the soil and the supply of water and nutrients must be. Always mow with a wheel width overhang so that you get a seamless, streak-free cutting surface.

How can I make the retaining wall as stable as possible?

Experts like to plan a protruding foundation to counteract the overturning moment. This has the disadvantage that nothing can be planted in front of the wall. By doing without this protrusion and widening the foundation into the slope, however, this restriction can be avoided. Instead, you build the wall practically "into the slope", which gives the construction the necessary stability.

Can I also build the retaining wall from Corten steel?

Structures made of Corten steel are durable, do not “rust” as materially damaging as normal steel and consequently do not need an anti-rust coating. From a structural point of view, these terrain supports are surprisingly simple: You have to insert the (prefabricated) metal parts into a concrete foundation and anchor them together with screws. However, the steel plates must be supported until the foundation concrete is solid.