Hillside landscaping is often less desired since many people think that it is hard to arrange. Its landscape is also hard to walk and work on. Besides, the topsoil is risky of having soil run off and down the slope. However, it does not mean that we cannot do something to make the hillside landscape be a beautiful and wonderful yard.
It is possible, but we need extra effort and creativity to perfect it compared to a flat garden. Hillside landscape, in fact, it has some benefits. The presence of slope can create original and spectacular volume effects if we know how to landscape it.
Contents
Low Maintenance Hillside Landscape Design
This article will give you some tips and ideas to landscape your hillside. Before going to the ideas, it is better to know the tips in landscaping hillside. Usually, people will create a staircase to give an instant admirable look. The other will have various plants and flowers.
Some people also add water for their hillside yard. Water curtain in the garden or water in the steps will prevent the flow of water and irrigation will make your garden even more attractive. By this, you can save money on your water bill. Water is a great idea to landscape your hill since it will make your yard looks fresh and cool.
It is not hard to do though. You can integrate it with a fountain or waterfall wall. other ideas are using stones, various flowers and plants and also a wooden platform. For more ideas, please read the rest of this article.
Dynamic View of a Hillside
Hillside landscape has some benefits, one of those is an instant view and the easiness to create a dynamic sense of movements with plants positioned in a hill. Some gardener will use a spiky flower, ornamental grasses, silver lamb’s ear, and rounded shrub to give the dynamic sense of the garden.
We can use contrasting textures of the conical evergreens too to make it more spectacular. It will be more amazing if the garden is completed with pool or artificial river.
Anchoring a Hillside Garden
As it is said before, the risk of having hillside is the topsoil tends to wash off quickly, taking the nutrients and fertility with it. It is not common to have a hillside that is mostly rocks, barely covered with a topping of soil.
Therefore, you need planting pockets and add some soil to have the plant. You can use two workhorses, astilbe and hosta. Both can grow in the shade of this creek hillside and both are hardy enough to take hold in the poor soil. It will be better if we divide the original plants.
Stone Walls
Stone walls will make your hillside look classic and beautiful. Indeed, it requires extra work initially, once they are set, you already have a structure that is both functional and attractive. Stonewall can function as planting areas that are wide enough and also good.
It is attractive since the stone walls can be planting areas that are already well structured. It will look magnificent. Stone tends to heat up early in the spring and hold heat at night, you create a microclimate that will help to grow your plants that would not survive in other areas of your yard.
Natural Hillside Rock Garden
One of the challenges of landscaping a hillside is to establish the plant. The plant needs water to survive, while water can run off the slope. In that case, you need to add large rocks and boulders to anchor the soil while the plants take hold.
To make it look more natural, you can add a rock garden and spread them. Then fill that area with plants and they will spread out. By this way, it will create a whole garden view. This idea will give an impression of a beautiful natural look
Garden Walk Hillside
Hillside can be landscaped into a beautiful and fresh walk side. To get this view, you need to terrace one path as the walk side, but leave the planting area on its sides. Have some plants and flowers on the left and right side of the walkway.
You will get the feeling of encompassing passersby in the flowers. For the walkway, have stepping stones with just enough traction to keep walkers steady. For the plants, use containers and pot stand on the lower levels to create focal points for the journey down.
Walk on the Woods
You can turn your steep slope into a multifunctional wooden platform a few levels. It is also similar to garden walk hillside, the difference is we use a wooden platform for the pathway. The left and right side of the pathway is still in a wooden platform, but it is intended for the planting areas.
You just need to have some plants on the wooden planting area to create a fresh yet classic hillside. Add wooden table and chair on your garden. The contrast between the wood and the countryside is just stunning and exotic!
Low Maintenance Plants for a Hillside Garden
The biggest challenge of the hillside is the risk of runoff. It is worse when the slope runs off into the driveway, where soil can castle. In that case, we need something to solve this problem. Choose plants that will strongly anchor the hillside, such as shrubs, ornamental grasses and prairie plants like coneflower.
Besides holding the ground in the place stronger, these plants require minimal maintenance during the growing season. They even can be left standing for winter interest. So they do not need extra effort from you. Any hillside or slope can become a focal point in your yard if you know how to choose your plants.
Hillside Landscaping Ideas
Conclusion
Those are some ideas of having a hillside landscape. Bear on your mind that the biggest challenge of the hillside is the risk of runoff. However, you can solve this problem by choosing the right plants that anchor strongly on the ground or add rocks on it. Hillside landscape can be more stunning than a flat yard if you know what to do.
