Landscaping A Steep Slope Or Hillside

The pictures in this directory will give you some ideas for landscaping on steep slope and hillside yards. While terracing with retaining walls is the most popular way of dealing with a steep grade, there are other ways as well. With a little creativity, a slope is actually an opportunity to create some very nice display, accent, or focal point gardens.

Along with the pictures in this gallery, there are several other resources on this site regarding hillside landscapes, yards, and gardens.

Besides creating something that looks nice, there are a few main points to keep in mind when creating your design and planning your materials.

• Saturation And Runoff - If you're going to plant any plants, you'll need to pay attention to this.
• Ground Cover That Stays Put - Smaller rocks and gravel tend to slide down hill. The size of rock you can use successfully depends on the angle of your slope. Shredded mulches such as cypress mulch matt down and stay better than bark chunks.

Many times, due to erosion, steep slopes and hills will already have exposed rocks and boulders. With a little creativity and thought, you may be able to use and design around what is already there. This could save you a ton of money and labor on your landscaping costs as well as create a truly natural look and atmosphere to your hillside yard that is unique.