Mounds and Berms

The term earthworks is collectively used to describe mounded soil used for practical or aesthetic purposes in a landscape. Berms are often linear in nature, much like a river levee, though they may undulate and vary in height. A mound is more like an island rising from the ocean. Mounds tend to be low and wide to facilitate growing plants on top. Before you decide to integrate earthworks into your landscape, be sure you hire a landscape architect or civil engineer to create a detailed grading and drainage plan.

Golf courses are designed by earthwork masters. A beautiful rolling course features bunkers along the edges of the fairways and low berms around each hole. These are the best examples to copy when creating a berm or mound for a new landscape's contours. Because golf course berms are covered in turf, they must be graded to ensure turf grass will grow well upon its entire surface. Maintenance equipment must be able to easily manage the turf as well.