Building a Berm

If you are new to landscaping, chances are you’ve seen many “berms” in your lifetime without even realizing that these structures had a name. That’s because, for all of their variations, the concept behind berms is so simple that it's easy to take them for granted. Let’s look at what they are, how to build them, and the reasons why you might want to incorporate one into your landscaping.

A berm is simply a rounded mound of soil (and, sometimes,fill) built upon an otherwise level patch of land to improve the design of a property. The fact that a berm is rounded is what distinguishes it from a raised bed. The latter has a flat surface and a rectangular shape.

At the most basic level, incorporating a berm in an otherwise flat yard is about raising the viewer’s eye level. Flat expanses are boring, and injecting a vertical element makes such a space more interesting. But, in addition to this most fundamental of reasons for building one, consider that a berm can benefit a landscape by, for example:

• Functioning as a planting bed in an area with poor soil (as could a raised bed, as well)

• Providing a windbreak and/or noise barrier

• Serving as a privacy screen in conjunction with the plant material used

• Raising small plants closer to eye level so that viewers can appreciate them more fully.

If you need help building a berm, or would like some more information about them, feel free to reach out. We would love to help you!