Do It Yourself Landscape Ideas:
Multi-level Xeriscape

This picture will give you a good idea of how simple this wall is put together. You can get instructions on how to build walls like this at the Rock Garden Walls Page. While most walls we build like this have mortar in the joints, this one is free standing without any mortar. At the request of the client this was a first for us. It worked out well and is very stable as it does have a concrete footing under it. More on this below...

To begin with, this yard was very small, flat, and empty. In this particular backyard landscaping design idea, the wall was created for several purposes. First, was to create interest by creating a second level. It was also made to make the main wall look smaller, add boundary, and make the small backyard seem larger.

One thing you can't see about this wall which is very important to point out, is how this wall was laid together. When building dry stack or pre-fab retaining walls, you need to stack the rocks at a slight slope inward toward the bed from bottom to top. This gives the wall physical strength against the pile of soil in the beds. You can read more about this at the Rock Landscaping Walls Page.

The selection of garden plants that we used in this design is very bright and colorful. As I pointed out before, xeriscaping and xeriscape plants can be very beautiful. It's not just rocks and cactus. The plants you see in the foreground are Coreopsis and Penstemon. They are both low water use plant species.

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Xeriscaping Design 17 Picture 2
Xeriscaping Design 17 Idea 3
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