A stackable growth media filled porous fabric block-shaped container includes either an internal seed carrier to facilitate the growth of various plants from within the block, or an outer three-dimensional open structure media retention sleeve to support external growth of vegetation via hydromulching into the sleeve. A plurality of the containers may be stacked or laid side by side to create a vegetated retaining wall or a vegetated slope facing. The porous fabric block-shaped containers are filled with growth medium that encourages plant growth, while allowing proper drainage and moisture retention. The seed carrier is a degradable or porous material coated with or supporting seeds and other amendments which facilitate plant growth. The open structure media retention sleeve includes loops of filaments to increase friction between blocks and to hold hydromulch on exposed surfaces.

A retaining wall block kit includes a block and an adjustable setback bar having a break line extending along a widthwise centerline between the front surface and the rear surface. The block has alignment knuckles protruding downwardly from a bottom surface of a front section, and has a receiver channel extending laterally across a top surface of the front section for receiving the alignment knuckles of an adjacent upper block. The setback bar can be removably located within the receiver channel, and is configured to be split along the break line. Thus, the setback bar is adjustable by being modified or omitted altogether to change the distance between the alignment knuckles and a front surface of the receiver channel and thereby allow the setback of the retaining wall to be changed as desired.

A masonry block has a front, a back, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side and a second side. The front has a front-top edge and a front-bottom edge. A number of steps (e.g. two steps) that rise above the top surface are setback from the front-top edge by a first setback distance. An equal number of notches are formed/cut into the bottom surface. A first notch of the notches is setback from the front-bottom edge by a second setback distance. When stacked to form a wall, the steps of a lower masonry block interface with the notches of a next higher masonry block and the first setback distance is greater than the second setback distance resulting in an overall setback as defined by a difference between the first setback distance minus the second setback distance.

A retaining wall block including a pair of curved engagement surfaces extending convexly from a rear side of the block and being symmetrical about a transverse axis are configured to engage a planar surface of a setback lip of similar overlying blocks when stacked in successive courses to form a wall structure, where the curved engagement surfaces maintain a desired setback distance successive courses for straight, convex, and concave wall structures.

A building element for coupling with other building elements to erect a retaining wall. Exemplary building elements have receiving spaces for receiving increased weight of fill material to provide increased stability. Optionally, each building element can have an enlarged face profile that provides efficiency in the shipping and assembly process. Optionally, each building element can define alignment voids that receive portions of alignment posts for ensuring vertical alignment between adjacent building elements or portions of building elements.

The present invention concerns a method of constructing a golf course bunker (100) using concrete modified soil (“CMS”) as a backfill material (203) to secure the bunker facade tiles (201, 202) into place.

A retaining wall block having a false joint and a system of retaining wall blocks. The retaining wall block includes a body having a first textured surface and a second textured surface and a false joint dividing the first and second textured surface. The false joint can have a depth divided by the width greater than two inches. The false joint can have an interior angle of less than ten degrees. The system includes a plurality of retaining wall blocks and a first course of retaining wall blocks engaged with a second course of retaining wall blocks below. Each block in the system comprising a front face having a first textured surface and a second textured surface and a false joint dividing the first and second textured surface. The false joint can extend a predetermined depth of a third surface.

A hardscaping unit includes a first block fixedly attached to a second block. The method of assembling the hardscaping unit includes the steps of forming a first block from a first material, placing a second material into a mold, contacting a surface of the first block with the second material that is in the mold, maintaining contact of the surface of the first block with the second material while transitioning the second material from a first state to a second state, the second state being more solid than the first state, and when in the second state the second material forms a second block that is fixedly attached to the first block.

A hardscaping unit includes a first block fixedly attached to a second block. The method of assembling the hardscaping unit includes the steps of forming a first block from a first material, placing a second material into a mold, contacting a surface of the first block with the second material that is in the mold, maintaining contact of the surface of the first block with the second material while transitioning the second material from a first state to a second state, the second state being more solid than the first state, and when in the second state the second material forms a second block that is fixedly attached to the first block.

Wall blocks, veneers, veneer connectors, walls, and methods of constructing walls are provided. More particularly, the invention relates to constructing walls in which a veneer panel is attached to a wall block with a connector and in which the front faces of the veneers have a desirable texture.