Slope Drainage and Retaining Walls Tackle Laurel Park Washout

Slopes that are left unchecked don't stay manageable for long. Overgrowth takes hold, water cuts channels wherever it wants, and before you know it you've got a washout situation that keeps getting worse every time it rains. That's exactly what this Laurel Park property was dealing with - an overgrown, eroded hillside right off the back deck that needed serious attention before any planting or landscaping could happen.

Phase 1 started with clearing out the overgrowth and getting a real look at what the slope was doing. Once we had a clean surface to work with, we installed drainage pipe along the face of the hill to redirect water away from the problem areas. Without that step first, any retaining structure we built would be fighting an uphill battle - no pun intended. Getting water under control is always the foundation of a job like this.

From there, we built out the timber retaining walls to terrace the slope into manageable, stable sections. The walls step the grade down in a way that holds the soil in place and creates usable planting beds instead of just a steep, eroding bank. We also laid straw over the disturbed areas to protect the exposed soil and keep things from washing before Phase 2 gets underway.

The difference between where this yard started and where it is now is significant. What was a tangled, washing-out hillside is now a structured, terraced slope with drainage in place and planting beds ready to go. Phase 2 is already in motion, and we're looking forward to showing the finished result.

If you've got a slope that's eroding, washing out, or just plain getting away from you, this kind of work is exactly what stops it in its tracks. Drainage and retaining walls work together - one without the other usually means the problem comes back.