Our client asked us to come up with a solution for this sad slope between a fence and a sidewalk. Over time, soil can wash away or become too compacted to accept irrigation. Then you’re left with a steep slope with poor soil and just a few plants hanging on. 

One solution would be to take out everything and start over with concrete retaining walls, a new irrigation system, and lots of new plants, but that can add up to an expensive project for such an out-of-the-way area. 

We took a more economical approach, performing a tune-up of the existing irrigation and using Sonoma fieldstones to create a casual but functional dry-stacked retaining wall. We finished the project with a layer of fresh organic mulch to feed the plants. 

Boulders add textural interest, last a long time, and are extremely low maintenance!