Garden walls made of rustic bricks have a very special charm. But not every garden owner is blessed with such a property boundary. Gray, chunky concrete walls reduce the look and give off a dreary appearance. The gardener would like to hide the masonry. Not a bad idea at all. Because in order to cover a desolate garden wall, only a few materials and hardly any manual skills are required. These x possibilities help do-it-yourselfers who are looking for creative wall cladding.
Clad the garden wall with natural stone
A clad garden wall made of natural stone makes a lot of impression, because at first glance it cannot be seen that it is just a thin layer of the high-quality material. The do-it-yourselfer applies this approximately 2 to 3 cm thick. The following natural stones are wonderfully suitable for cladding.
Note: When clad with natural stone, the focus is on an elegant look. A rustic appearance is undesirable with this style. It is therefore important that the do-it-yourselfer applies the coating very evenly to avoid unevenness later on.
In general, natural stones are very expensive. There are again significant price fluctuations among the various species. The large selection not only offers the customer the opportunity to choose a fairly affordable stone, but also enables the visual adaptation to the rest of the garden design. The advantages and disadvantages as well as the suitability of the different types of rock are listed below:
granite
Although the disadvantages outweigh the above in the list above, granite is well suited as a wall cladding because of its extreme hardness. In addition, the natural stone has a wonderful shine that the do-it-yourselfer can renew again and again with a simple polish. With this property, granite fits perfectly into modern, noble-looking ones
Gardens.advantages
- unbeatable hardness
- very durable
- insensitive to the weather
- withstands strong temperature fluctuations
disadvantage
- high dead weight
- susceptible to frost
- not resistant to moisture penetration
- not fireproof
- very expensive
- prone to scratch marks
Quartz stone
Quartz stone has a homogeneous, fine-pored structure and can therefore be perfectly ground into shape. At the same time, however, this property also ensures high abrasion. With its metallic gray sheen, quartz stone looks very elegant and is a cheap alternative to expensive granite in modern gardens.
advantages
- velvety surface with a glossy feel
- can be processed well
- fits with block steps and steles
- largely frost-resistant
- sure-footed
disadvantage
- prone to scratches
- high risk of wear and tear
Tip: Light granite or quartz stone create a Mediterranean look.
marble
Many people are more familiar with marble from interior design, for example as a window sill or kitchen unit. Just as noble as the shiny natural stone looks indoors, it also unfolds a high-quality look as a garden wall. Marble goes very well with noble plants such as roses.
advantages
- handsome shades and countless color variations
- waterproof
- easy to clean
disadvantage
- requires regular polishing
- expensive
- acid sensitive
slate
The dark, anthracite-colored slate has a slight shimmer. Many people associate the material with high demands. Slate harmonises particularly well with elements made of concrete, metal or
Glass.advantages
- weatherproof
- looks noble
- good cleavage
- water repellent
disadvantage
- susceptible to corrosion
- susceptible to scratches
Tip: In order to maintain the shine, the do-it-yourselfer rubs his slate wall regularly with linseed oil.
Green the garden wall
If you want to save work and costs, you can rely on the natural look and green your garden wall. It doesn't necessarily have to be classic ivy. Tree nurseries and specialist shops offer numerous plants, some of which are exotic, that feel good on a wall. The only disadvantages of this method are the pruning required depending on the choice of plants and the time it takes for an opaque wall to grow.
Plant a hedge
Particularly unstable garden walls that are unlikely to be able to withstand heavy vegetation, it is advisable to plant a hedge on both sides. The plants already have a certain height (unless the do-it-yourselfer grows his plants himself), so that the last-mentioned disadvantage does not apply.
Suitable plants are, for example:
- yew (Taxus)
- Thuja (Thuja)
- False cypress (Chamaecyparis)
- liguster (Ligustrum)
- Holly (Ilex)
- Loquat (Photinia)
- Boxwood (Buxus)
- European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Tip: To loosen up the garden hedge, it is advisable to plant a wood or colorful blooming flowers in isolated places.
Let the wall grow
Hilling a wall provides variety, especially in rock gardens. It is important to ensure that the plants can tolerate drought and do not "eat" their way into the rock. The do-it-yourselfer should also consider the location requirements (sunny or shady).
Here is a small selection of worthwhile climbing plants:
- Climbing roses (Pink)
- Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
- Clematis (Clematis)
- Wisteria (Wisteria)
- Trumpet flower (Campsis)
- Wine (Vitis vinifera)
Plant joints
A third option that requires a little more effort is to widen the joints. The do-it-yourselfer then fills this with humus soil and lets green plants grow out of them. Ferns are very suitable for this variant.
Clad the garden wall with wood
With wooden cladding, the unsightly rock garden wall can be transformed into a natural wooden fence in no time at all. The design options are very varied here. Whether vertical or
horizontal, filigree or rustic. These types of wood are particularly suitable, the advantages and disadvantages of which are shown below:Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
advantages
- good stamina
- weatherproof
- resistant to fungi
- good strength and elasticity properties
disadvantage
- light, reddish wood darkens quickly
Oak (Quercus)
advantages
- many shades of color
- optionally with grain
- good elasticity
- can be easily split
- water repellent
- durable
disadvantage
- heavy and hard
- darkens quickly
Note: Greyish oak indicates a high degree of hardness.
Tropical wood
The tropical woods include types such as teak, Bangkirai, Meranti, ebony and Bongossi.
advantages
- handsome grain
- durable
disadvantage
- environmentally harmful extraction methods
- prone to fungal diseases
- expensive
Larch (larix)
advantages
- acid resistant
- pleasant resin odor
- low risk of cracking
- resistant to insects and fungi
disadvantage
- Resin must be removed before pickling or painting
- darkens quickly
- Quality differences depending on the origin
Processing of wood
In order to attach the wooden cladding, it is first necessary to screw sturdy wooden panels to the stone wall as load-bearing elements. The choice of orientation (vertical or horizontal) should be based on the weather side.
Clad the garden wall with bamboo
One of the easiest methods is to get bamboo mats from the hardware store and attach them to the garden wall. The do-it-yourselfer pays little money here, even for several meters. The look spreads an Asian flair. However, the do-it-yourselfer has to replace the bamboo mats after a few years because wind and precipitation wear out the material.
Note: If you want to save money, you can also get plastic imitations in the hardware store, which can be attached to the garden wall in just a few simple steps. Although most of these products look deceptively real from a distance, if you step closer, the fake ultimately reveals itself. Anyone who opts for this variant should definitely pay attention to high-quality workmanship. Otherwise, the cladding will quickly look cheap. Expensive plastic, on the other hand, also has a proud purchase price.