A retaining wall and face for an earthen formation is provided by embedding generally horizontally disposed welded wire soil reinforcing mats within the formation at vertically spaced intervals and securing face members between successive soil reinforcing mats at the face of the formation. The soil-reinforcing mats comprise spaced longitudinal elements extending into the formation and spaced transverse elements welded to and extending across the longitudinal elements in a disposition wherein an outer of the transverse elements extends across the face of the formation and an inner of the elements is spaced inwardly of the face. Each face member is secured between successive upper and lower soil-reinforcing mats by extending an upper portion of the face member behind the outer transverse element of the upper soil reinforcing mat and securing an inwardly extending portion of the face member to connection with an inner transverse element of the lower soil reinforcing mat. Wire baskets are disposed to the interior of the face members to contain a layer of rocks at the face of the formation.