Looking to add charm and beauty to your retaining wall? Rather than letting it become an eyesore, turn it into a stunning feature with cascading plants.
These plants, known for their trailing growth patterns, create a waterfall of foliage or vibrant blooms, softening the harsh edges of stone or concrete. Whether you’re after vibrant colors in spring or steady greenery through summer, here are 10 cascading plants perfect for bringing life to your garden’s retaining wall.
1. Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Loamy, well-drained
- USDA Zone: 5-9
Creeping phlox, with its bright pink and purple flowers, is one of the first blooms of spring. It spreads quickly, making it an excellent choice for covering large areas. However, keep an eye on its growth to prevent it from taking over your garden.
2. Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Well-drained
- USDA Zone: 3-9
Candytuft features small, white flowers that bloom from late spring into summer. It’s a low-growing perennial that spreads slowly over time, perfect for a delicate, understated look along your retaining wall.
3. Trailing Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Moist, well-drained
- USDA Zone: 10-11
This plant offers a cascade of vibrant blue flowers all summer long, attracting pollinators like butterflies. Its trailing growth and cheerful color make it a standout choice for retaining walls.
4. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Well-draining (sandy, loamy, clay)
- USDA Zone: 4-9
With its chartreuse leaves, Creeping Jenny (also known as moneywort) quickly covers retaining walls. Though its blooms are brief, this plant is a prolific grower, making it ideal for creating a soft, green waterfall effect.
5. Purple Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea)
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained
- USDA Zone: 4-7
Purple rock cress thrives in dry, rocky areas, making it perfect for retaining walls. Its vibrant purple flowers bloom in the spring and early summer, offering a stunning pop of color for drought-prone regions.
6. Dichondra Silver Falls (Dichondra argentea)
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining sandy loam
- USDA Zone: 10-12
This desert native brings a soft, silver-green hue to your garden. Dichondra Silver Falls creates an ethereal cascading effect over retaining walls, and though its flowers are subtle, its foliage is stunning as an accent.
7. Creeping Thyme (Thymus spp.)
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained, sandy
- USDA Zone: 2-9
Creeping thyme adds both fragrance and beauty with its pink and purple flowers. It’s a low-maintenance groundcover that spreads easily, creating a fragrant, colorful edge along your retaining wall.
8. Vinca Vine (Vinca Major ‘Variegata’)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, rich loamy
- USDA Zone: 7-9
Vinca vine is a fast-growing perennial with striking green and variegated leaves. Its sweet periwinkle blooms soften its reputation for being invasive, making it a great choice for quick coverage on retaining walls.
9. New Dawn Rose (Rosa ‘New Dawn’)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Moist, well-drained
- USDA Zone: 5-9
Climbing roses like the New Dawn Rose add a romantic touch with cascading light pink blooms. It’s an ideal choice for creating a picturesque waterfall of flowers on your retaining wall, year after year.
10. Lemon Coral Sedum (Sedum mexicanum ‘Lemon Coral’)
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial
- Soil: Well-drained, sandy, rocky
- USDA Zone: 7-11
The bright chartreuse color of Lemon Coral Sedum adds an eye-catching contrast to your retaining wall. It’s a hardy plant that easily roots, creating a lush green carpet that cascades down the stone.
