English garden walls: Best walls for English gardens

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The English have a long history of building walls into their gardens and landscapes. From walled gardens of the Middle Ages, to the historical stone walls of traditional villages, it is no wonder walls have become a key element within English gardens. 

Garden walls help to define a garden spaces, provide security, shelter as well as connecting buildings and landscape. Garden walls are often the first part of a property visitor’s will experience.

​Consequently, English garden walls have traditionally been an element of decoration and splendour. In this article I identify and summarise 8 English garden wall materials and styles. ​

​Traditional English garden walls

​Traditionally garden walls in England have been built to create privacy and shelter. This idea goes back to the middle ages where settlements were fortified and gardens were for food production.

​It was often the case higher status would mean more walls providing greater privacy and increased security. Garden walls became a gesture of social status and grandeur.

​This is why even today In England many houses have large perimeter walls to their frontage. 
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Traditionally English garden walls were contextual, using local materials and construction techniques.

​However English gardens do have an ability to blend with other garden styles or modern more themes. Therefore today, English garden walls can take different forms using a range of different materials.  

​8 materials & idea for English garden walls

1. ​Rustic red bricks

Rustic red bricks have been used to build garden walls in England for centuries. Produced locally from many of England’s clay quarries these bricks are decorative and versatile. The warm and radiant hues of rustic red bricks harmonise well with lawns, planting and other garden landscaping. It is no surprise rustic red bricks have been a primary choice for building English gardens walls. 
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2. ​Reclaimed stocks

​One of the most well known traditional English bricks is the old stock. This clay brick was used to build the modern capital city of London during the Georgian and Victorian era. These bricks were hand made using presses often by child labour in poor conditions. This led to many imperfections which give the bricks a unique feel. Their vibrant yellow tones and historical value make them a great brick for English garden walls. 
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3. ​Flint

​Flint is a naturally occurring stone deposit which is common in some parts of southern England. It is particularly common in East Anglia and the Chilterns where it can be found in abundance at ground level. Its abundance led to it becoming a contextual building material for historical buildings and walls. Flint is a great choice for English garden walls especially in a location where it is abundant. 
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4. ​Rendered Concrete block

​Concrete block is by no means a traditional English building material. However their high compressive strength and general durability makes them perfectly suitable for garden walls. Concrete block is even more optimum for English garden walls when rendered. Painted render is a traditional finish of walls and buildings throughout coastal regions of England. Painted, rendered concrete block walls are also very suitable for contemporary English gardens. 
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5. ​Natural stone wall blocks

​Natural stone walls are very characteristic of the English countryside. This is especially so in the rural west and north of the country. In such regions ornate natural stone walls create boundaries to agricultural fields and front garden walls. Natural stone blocks are now available for outdoor walling projects. They are perfect for building robust garden walls with a traditional natural stone feel. 
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6. ​Concrete block with cladding

​The English garden style is one that has become popular for its elegant charm and use of traditional materials. However English gardens have an ability to incorporate many different design themes and more modern materials. Garden walls built with concrete block can be tiled or clad in any material you choose. This makes concrete blocks with cladding a viable option for English garden walls with a difference. 
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7. ​Dry stone walls

​Dry stone walls are found throughout rural Britain and are the product of skilled workmanship. These walls have been laid for centuries helping to contain livestock and defining boundaries to property. Dry stone walls are often constructed from randomly sized, loose rocks found locally. These walls use no mortar and are a very effective method of building traditional English style garden walls. 
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8. ​Timber sleepers

​Timber sleepers are large sections of timber traditionally produced to base railway lines. In recent times however their potential as a landscaping and building product has flourished. Sleepers are loved for their natural tones and rustic feel which work well within gardens. They are fast to fix together and require no heavy concrete foundation like masonry materials. This has made sleepers a popular building material for English garden walls, especially with a more contemporary theme. 
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​Thank you for reading our article on English garden walls.! I will link to some of my other articles on English gardens below you may find relevant. 

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