Transforming My Outdoor Space: The Journey of Enhancing My Retaining Wall with Beautiful Blooms

The first summer after moving into my first house, I was eager to enhance my outdoor space. I embarked on various projects, starting with a 50-foot retaining wall along the front of my property. As most homeowners know, maintaining a property is a never-ending cycle of projects. Though I completed the retaining wall, multiple summers passed before I could fulfill my vision of adorning it with beautiful flowers.

This spring, I was determined to blend the sturdy ruggedness of the retaining wall with vibrant, blooming flowers. My first task was to buy large quantities of dirt to prepare the ground for planting. Budget-conscious, I initially opted for the cheapest topsoil available. I filled in as much as I could, but it became clear that another truckload was necessary.

Fortunately, Home Depot had a fantastic sale on Miracle-Gro high-quality soil in the middle of April. I seized the opportunity, grabbed two truckloads, and was ready to plant. Originally, I planned to lay down a summer flower seed mix, but my excitement led me to the nursery to look at plants that had already been started. The sight of the blooming flowers was irresistible, and I ended up selecting a wide variety.

Given that the retaining wall gets full sun and has zero shade, I tried to pick as many full-sun blooms as possible. With my new treasures in tow, I headed home and planted them right away. However, my excitement got the best of me again, and I planted before the final frost of the season. Over the next week, my gorgeous blooming flowers turned brown, unable to handle the cold.

By this point, the last frost had passed. Although I was slightly discouraged by my impatience, I was not deterred. I began deadheading, feeding, and caring for my less happy plants, hoping to revive them. So far, a few species have bounced back wonderfully, while others are still fighting to survive.

I immediately started digging and researching how to better care for my beloved flowers. Here are some of the key takeaways from my research:

Deadheading: Removing the dead and brown parts of the plants to encourage new growth. Feeding: Using high-quality plant food to nourish the stressed plants. Watering: Ensuring consistent moisture, especially after a period of frost damage. Mulching: Adding mulch around the base of the plants to retain moisture and protect the roots.

This experience has taught me valuable lessons about gardening and patience. While some of my flowers are still struggling, others are thriving thanks to the new care techniques I've implemented.

I will continue to provide updates on how these flowers are doing after applying the new care guides. Gardening, like all home improvement projects, requires persistence, learning from mistakes, and a bit of trial and error.

Learn how to build your own retaining wall for your garden at Backyard Projects DIY Stay tuned for more posts as I share my journey of transforming my outdoor space and nurturing my garden back to health.

Check out the midsummer update on these beautiful blooms!