Backyard Block Wall Decorating Ideas

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17 Best Garden Wall Ideas to Give Your Yard Stylish Structure

They can serve a multitude of purposes.

Carlina Teteris Getty Images

Whether really tall, or relatively tiny—those picturesque, surprisingly short stone walls scattered about New England, for example—humans have long been fascinated with structures that delineate and divide. Shakespeare created a character who actually was a wall in A Midsummer Night's Dream's fanciful play within a play; other famous walls include Hadrian's, which marked the extent of Roman incursion into Great Britain.

But when it comes to yards, we're happy to see that garden walls of all shapes and sizes have been standing straight for years and will for years to come. Garden walls can serve a range of purposes. From retaining walls, which hold back earth or water, to walls that screen, or just ones that make for beautiful outdoor spaces, these DIY and shoppable garden walls will sit pretty in your yard far into the future.

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Bamboo Fencing

Perfect to add privacy to your property, this fence made of thick rolled reed sticks can also be used to create a focal point in your garden.

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Artificial Boxwood Hedge

If you'd love a living wall for your garden but don't want the muss and fuss, get the next best thing—this stunning artificial boxwood hedge.

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Vinyl Wall Trellis

Whether you want to plant clematis and other climbing greenery at its base, or leave it bare, this durable vinyl wall trellis will keep your outdoor space looking sharp for years to come.

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DIY Sculptural Cement Wall

Built to jazz up the area surrounding a hot tub, this wall was crafted with chicken wire and cement, then cured, stained and sealed. That nifty brick was also etched into the cement and stained.

Get the tutorial at Bliss Ranch.

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DIY Pallet Vertical Garden Wall

Scoop up some pallets for free at a local warehouse and then get to creating this magnificent living wall, which serves as the perfect divider or backdrop for any outdoor space.

Get the tutorial at Ruffled.

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DIY Retaining Wall

Made to withstand torrential midwestern rains, this sturdy brick retaining wall keeps earth from washing away. If you're in an area with heavy storms, add gravel for extra drainage capability.

Get the tutorial at Thirty Something Super Mom.

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DIY Retaining Wall to Improve Curb Appeal

With just a couple days of labor, you can create serious curb appeal with this retaining wall that offers room for a raised flower garden. Be sure to lay down about an inch of paver sand to help keep the wall steady over time.

Get the tutorial at A Crafted Passion.

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DIY Stacked Stone Wall

It takes more than simply piling rocks on top of one another to make a stacked stone wall this lovely. Prep the area first by digging around a six-inch trench, then line it with landscape fabric and add drainage stone.

Get the tutorial at Dust and Doghair.

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DIY Vertical Garden Wall With Netting

This ingenious garden wall is crafted from an arbor overlaid over with wire netting. Fill little clay pots with pretty posies, hang them from the netting, and you've got a garden wall that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Get the tutorial at Home Made Lovely.

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DIY Stone Retaining Wall

With a sinous shape, this wall is a showstopper. Built with retaining wall blocks in gray charcoal that match the home it fronts, it also features a garden bed for perennials.

Get the tutorial at Home Sweet Roman.

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DIY Garden Retaining Wall

Long and low, with two circular flower beds in addition to the one running nearly the length of the porch it abuts, this retaining wall provides loads of planting space behind it.

Get the tutorial at Jennifer Maker.

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DIY Wood Vertical Garden Wall

Made of fence boards stained to protect them from the elements, this vertical garden can be mounted against the side of your house in the patio area. Then add succulents, or modify the plans to make deeper troughs for flowers or veggies.

Get the tutorial at Jessica Welling Interiors.

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DIY Wood Slat Garden Wall With Planters

Made to transform an ugly concrete wall into a home for greenery goodness, this project uses 1x4 wood planks as a base from which to hang plant containers. You can make those planters extra eye-catching by coating them with durable rubberized spray paint.

Get the tutorial at Remodelaholic.

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DIY Raised Garden Bed With Wall

This isn't just a simple retaining wall, but instead a raised garden bed with a back wall made of pressure-treated lumber. Concrete retaining wall blocks line the front for a neat, nicely edged look.

Get the tutorial at Remodelacasa.

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DIY Retaining Wall on a Slope

This project maximizes space in a downward-sloping backyard by leveling it off with a retaining wall. Use interlocking bricks that don't need mortar for added ease and simplicity.

Get the tutorial at Simple Practical Beautiful.

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DIY Garden Slat Wall

Hide an eyesore like garbage cans or a shed - or just make an outdoor space prettier - with this slat wall made from cedar decking. Stain the wood before assembly, touching up after to save time.

Get the tutorial at Taryn Whiteaker.

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DIY Garden Wall Planter

Featuring a big bottom planter plus plenty of smaller planter boxes, this easy-to-build piece doubles as a garden wall capable of concealing undesirable sights like air conditioning units. The boxes are removable too, to make plant care a snap.

Get the tutorial at The Handyman's Daughter.

Jill Gleeson Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania who has written for websites and publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, Country Living, Washingtonian, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network.

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