Retaining walls can do more than just their job – they can also be turned into beautiful vertical gardens. This guide will show you the best cascading plants for retaining walls, so you can turn them into stunning focal points in your landscape.
YayImagesBest Plants For Retaining Walls
Let’s dive straight into the best cascading plants that are a good choice for retaining walls:
1. Creeping Phlox
YayImagesCreeping Phlox is a hardy perennial that thrives in full sun areas and well-drained soil.
It forms a dense mat of tiny leaves and vibrant flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white, making it an excellent choice for adding a splash of color to retaining walls.
This plant blooms profusely in early spring and early summer, creating a stunning carpet of flowers.
2. Sweet Potato Vine
YayImagesKnown for its fast growth and striking foliage, Sweet Potato Vine is an excellent cascading plant for retaining walls and concrete blocks.
Its heart-shaped leaves come in various shades, including bright green, deep purple, and variegated patterns.
It thrives in full sunlight to partial shade and well-drained soil, adding both color and texture to your landscape design.
3. English Ivy
Carolina Betancur / UnsplashEnglish Ivy is a popular choice for retaining walls and stone walls due to its vigorous growth and evergreen foliage.
It can quickly cover large areas, providing a lush, green backdrop throughout the year.
This hardy plant prefers a shaded to partially sunny location and well-drained soil, making it a versatile option for various garden walls and outdoor spaces.
4. Juniper
YayImagesJunipers are evergreen plants that come in various forms, including trailing varieties ideal for cascading over retaining walls and rock walls.
They are hardy, low-maintenance plants that thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.
Junipers provide year-round greenery and are a great choice for adding texture and structure to your front yard.
5. Stonecrop
YayImagesStonecrop, or Sedum, is a diverse group of succulents that are perfect for retaining walls due to their drought tolerance and low maintenance needs.
These alpine plants come in various colors and forms, including trailing varieties that produce clusters of star-shaped flowers.
Stonecrop thrives in a sunny area with well-drained soil, adding a touch of charm to retaining walls and rock gardens.
6. Bellflowers
YayImagesBellflowers are perennial plants known for their bell-shaped flowers and trailing habit.
They bloom in shades of blue, purple, and white, and are ideal plants for adding beauty to retaining walls.
Bellflowers prefer partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil, making them versatile and easy to grow.
7. Ivy Geranium
YayImagesIvy Geraniums are popular for their cascading growth and vibrant flowers.
These annuals thrive in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil, producing clusters of blooms in various colors, including red, pink, and white.
Ivy Geraniums are perfect for adding a splash of color to your retaining walls throughout the growing season.
8. Trailing Lobelia
YayImagesTrailing Lobelia is a beautiful annual with delicate, cascading foliage and masses of small flowers in shades of blue, purple, and white.
It prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Trailing Lobelia is perfect for adding a pop of color to your retaining walls, especially in cooler climates.
9. Periwinkle
YayImagesPeriwinkle, or Vinca Minor, is a hardy perennial that produces a dense mat of glossy green leaves and charming blue or white flowers.
It thrives in partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil.
Periwinkle is excellent for ground cover and soil erosion control on retaining walls, providing year-round greenery.
10. Trailing Petunias
YayImagesTrailing Petunias, such as the wave petunia, are known for their vibrant blooms and vigorous growth.
These annuals come in a wide range of colors and thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.
Trailing Petunias are perfect for adding a continuous display of color to your retaining walls from spring to fall.
11. Aubrieta
YayImagesAubrieta is a low-growing perennial that produces a carpet of purple, pink, or blue flowers in spring.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for cascading over retaining walls.
Aubrieta is drought-tolerant and easy to care for, adding a touch of charm to your garden.
12. Creeping Jenny
Jan Haerer / PixabayCreeping Jenny is a fast-growing perennial with bright green, trailing foliage.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Creeping Jenny is perfect for adding a vibrant green cascade over retaining walls, and its golden-yellow flowers add a touch of color in late spring and early summer.
13. Dianthus
YayImagesDianthus, also known as Sweet William or Pinks, is a perennial that produces fragrant, fringed flowers in shades of pink, red, and white.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Dianthus is perfect for adding a touch of elegance to retaining walls with its charming blooms and pleasant fragrance.
14. Persian Ivy
YayImagesPersian Ivy is a hardy evergreen climber with large, glossy leaves.
It thrives in partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil.
Persian Ivy is perfect for creating a lush, green cascade over retaining walls, providing year-round foliage and a touch of sophistication to your garden.
15. Snow-in-Summer
YayImagesSnow-in-Summer, Cerastium tomentosum, is a low-growing perennial with silvery foliage and masses of white flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for cascading over retaining walls.
This drought-tolerant plant adds a cool, elegant touch to your garden.
16. Lamium
YayImagesLamium, also known as Dead Nettle, is a perennial with attractive variegated foliage and clusters of pink, white, or purple flowers.
It thrives in partial shade and well-drained soil.
Lamium is perfect for adding texture and color to retaining walls, and its trailing habit makes it an excellent ground cover.
17. Trailing Nasturtium
YayImagesTrailing Nasturtiums are annuals known for their vibrant, funnel-shaped flowers and edible leaves.
They thrive in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
Trailing Nasturtiums are perfect for adding a burst of color the top of your retaining wall, and their trailing habit creates a lush, flowing effect.
18. Bacopa
YayImagesBacopa is a trailing annual with small, delicate flowers in shades of white, pink, and blue.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Bacopa is perfect for adding a touch of charm to retaining walls, and its continuous blooms provide color throughout the growing season.
19. Licorice Plant
YayImagesHelichrysum, also known as Licorice Plant, is a trailing perennial with silvery foliage and small, inconspicuous flowers.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Helichrysum is perfect for adding texture and color to retaining walls, and its drought-tolerant nature makes it a low-maintenance option.
20. Trailing Rosemary
YayImagesTrailing Rosemary is a fragrant, evergreen perennial with trailing stems and blue flowers.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Trailing Rosemary is perfect for retaining walls, and its aromatic foliage makes it a delightful addition to any garden.
21. Creeping Wire Vine
YayImagesMuehlenbeckia, also known as Creeping Wire Vine, is a perennial with small, round leaves and a dense, trailing habit.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
Muehlenbeckia is perfect for creating a lush, green cascade over retaining walls, adding a unique texture to your garden.
YayImagesConclusion
Choosing the right cascading plants can transform your retaining walls into stunning garden features.
These garden plants not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden but also contribute to soil stability and erosion control.
The best way to ensure success is to select plants suited to your specific environment, such as drought-tolerant plants for sunny areas or shade-loving plants for those parts of the yard that receive less sunlight.
With the right plants, your retaining walls can become the highlight of your landscape design, adding visual interest and beauty throughout the year.
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