Gabion elements in your garden

Surprisingly some elements from hardscaping can be added to a contemporary landscape and garden design.  Originally used for retaining slopes, rock gabion walls have been cropping up everywhere from garden walls, planters and benches, to the walls of outdoor rooms. This stylish and very simple bench seat made of gabion is a great example. Tucking silver cages with chunky river rocks and topped with polished wood  form nice bench seats. Gabion bench adds textural contrast to smooth surfaces (concrete & decomposed granite) and flowering plants.

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Gabion comes from the Italian word “gabbia” - “cage” and is a wire container that can hold any sort of inorganic material. They can form flexible, permeable structures that work well in stabilizing shorelines against erosion, commonly used for civil engineering and military purposes. Leonardo da Vinci used gabions for the foundation of the San Marco Castle in Milano.
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Stylish and functional, gabions are great for garden borders, benches, planters, outdoor BBQ and fireplaces, garden beds, decorative pillars, fountains, table and patio seatings,  and retaining walls and slopes.