Rusted steel, rock, stepping pavers and gabion walls
Steel Planters & Modern Yards
A few of our modern yards: rusted steel planters and raised beds set in rock, large stepping pavers floating in new sod, and gabion walls built from steel cages filled with stone.
The photos on this page come from several different yards of this kind across the Salt Lake Valley.
The situation
What the owners wanted.
These photos come from several homes, many of them newer houses with a clean, modern look — dark garage doors, board-and-batten siding, big windows. A traditional yard of shrubs and bark would have fought with the house.
The owners wanted a front yard that matched the architecture, looked sharp from the street, and didn't need much looking after.
What we used — and why
Every piece has a reason.
- 1
Corten (weathering) steel planters
Corten steel rusts to a warm brown finish on purpose, then the rust seals itself and stops. No paint, no stain, no rot — it looks better in year three than on day one and lasts for decades.
- 2
Steel raised garden beds
Raised beds warm up faster in spring, drain well and keep the soil where you want it. They also bring the garden up closer to you — much easier on the back and knees than gardening at ground level.
- 3
Large stepping pavers set in the lawn
Big rectangular pavers with grass between them make a walkway that looks modern and feels soft, instead of a solid strip of concrete across the yard.
- 4
Dark decorative rock around the planters
Rock around the steel keeps the lines crisp, keeps weeds down and cuts the amount of lawn you have to water and mow.
- 5
Gabion walls
A gabion wall is a steel cage filled with rock on site. It holds back soil, drains by itself, and costs far less than an engineered block wall of the same height — with a rugged look that suits a modern home.
- 6
Ornamental trees and flowers in the planters
Trees and seasonal color planted inside the steel give height and life to the yard and keep the modern look from feeling cold.
Utah weather
How steel and rock handle Utah weather
Corten steel is made to rust on the surface and then seal itself. In a wet climate that happens quickly; in our dry Utah air it develops more slowly and evenly, reaching its deep brown finish over the first year or two. After that it simply sits there through snow, sun and freeze-thaw without paint or maintenance.
Steel raised beds also warm up earlier in the spring — a real benefit in the Salt Lake area, where late frosts can hang on into May — and they drain better than planting straight into our heavy clay.
Gabion walls suit this climate for the same reason they suit any freeze-thaw climate: water drains straight through the rock, so there is no pressure building up behind the wall when the ground freezes.
Is this right for you?
A great fit for…
- Owners of newer, modern or farmhouse-style homes who want the yard to match.
- Gardeners who want raised beds for vegetables or flowers without bending to the ground.
- Corner lots and front yards that are seen from every direction.
- Anyone who wants a crisp, low-maintenance look that still has some green in it.
Good to know
The honest details.
Corten steel will leave rust stains on concrete it drips onto while it weathers in the first year. We place it and set the rock so that doesn't land on your driveway or walks.
Steel planters cost more up front than wood boxes, but they don't rot and never need replacing.
Every yard is different. We build these across Riverton, Herriman, South Jordan, Draper, Bluffdale and the rest of the Salt Lake Valley, and the best way to know what yours needs — and what it will cost — is to have Jason walk it with you. Call 801-608-7207 for a free estimate.
Photos
The finished work.
Tap any photo to see it full size.
Free estimate
Let’s walk your yard together.
Call and tell us what you have in mind. Jason will come out, walk the property with you, and give you a written estimate — free, with no obligation.
Mon–Fri · 8:00–5:00 · Riverton, Utah · Licensed & insured