Can a retaining wall double as a garden seat or planter box?

Yes, genuinely a popular design choice — a lower retaining wall can be built with a wider capping suitable for sitting on, or stepped to create planting terraces, without compromising its structural role.

This needs to be planned into the design from the start rather than added afterward, since the wall’s width, capping detail and finish all need to account for this dual use during the original engineering.

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