Hill Country Landscaping Ideas
- Hilly slopes can make beautiful gardensJupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
Landscaping is a challenge on sloped terrain. Erosion is a problem. Rain, melting snow, saturated soil and earth movements can ruin a landscaped hill. There are ways to work with natural slopes making landscaping in hill country easier with pleasing results. - Lawns are easier to maintain on a level surface. Create a flat, even area by raising the grade on the lower side and dropping it at the top. For very steep slopes, requires the installation of stairs leading from one level to the next, and retaining walls to prevent soil erosion. With a mild slope, a small berm along the top edge may be enough to keep irrigation and rain from causing soil erosion below.
- Terraced retaining walls create as many levels as needed, depending on the slope's grade. By creating several terraced levels on the slope, you also create areas that can be filled with plants for a raised-bed effect on each level. On a medium or slight slope, build one retaining wall to create a convenient seat, where the surrounding landscape can viewed.
- Prevent erosion by channeling runoff water through paths built into the slope in strategic places. Create pathways from gravel, river rock, bricks or wood. Angle pathways down the slope in the low-lying portions of the hills. Lay material of choice to create the path. Mortar may be used to hold positioned bricks in place on steep slopes.
- Use nature to your advantage. Plant trees and shrubs on steep, sloped hillsides. Once they become established, their roots will hold soil in place and naturally prevent erosion. Wild lilac, sumac, creeping St. John's wort and juniper are good shrubs to plant on sunny hillsides. Many groundcover plants have large, dense roots that grow deep, as well. ivy, crown vetch and ice plant cover large, sloped areas well. For slopes that are in partial shade, Periwinkle is a good choice of groundcover.
- Build a deck out from the top of steeply sloped landscape, creating a level space above, while allowing the slope beneath to remain. Planting tall trees below at the bottom of the slope allows foliage to be viewed at eye level from the deck. When planting the slope itself, spread jute across the slope to keep soil in place and give plants a chance to become established.
