Ideas For Landscaping A Hill

Here Are Some Great Ideas For Landscaping a Hill!

Landscaping a hill presents special challenges to the home gardener. When landscaping on a slope, a gardener must take into account questions of drainage and erosion, the question of soil depth and stability, and more.

In many instances, terracing or other stabilizing efforts must be made, and in some cases, ideas for landscaping a hill are forced by concerns of pure engineering.

In situations like these, a wise gardener turns inescapable features into advantages.

If terracing or stabilization engineering are necessary to preserve the stability of a slope, the gardener looking for ideas for landscaping a hill will attempt to create a pattern using the layering of the terraces, using trailing plants to draw the eye from flat to flat, creating a series of planes and curves.

In conditions of friable, easily eroded soil, begin your plans for landscaping on a slope with long living perennials with strong, broad-ranging root structures. A series of shrubs suited to your climate and to available water sources can act as major anchors, not only visually, but also in terms of the stability their heavy roots can add to the soil of a hillside.

Landscaping Hills - Visualize It!

More ideas for hillside landscaping can come from the purely visual elements involved. The eye follows the drop in elevation, and the natural curve of a hill.

To accentuate a curve, and stress the run of a hill, continuous plantings following the topographical lines of the slope
can accentuate the grace of the embankment.

A modest, low color background planting of perennial grasses in silver greens and greys can be lit by a visual stream of deep blue-green and dark purple grasses flowing along the natural drainage lines.

Landscaping Rocks!

If you are planning on landscaping on a slope using stone or concrete elements, be sure to consult with an experienced landscape engineer. This is exceptionally important if you live in high erosion areas or in earthquake areas: no matter how picturesque a giant sandstone boulder may appear cresting the hilltop, it will look far less picturesque hurtling down the hillside towards your house or the street at four in the morning.

Take care that objects of substantial weight and size have been fully planned for by someone with the architectural and engineering training to provide a safe, stable structure.

Water Features Soothe The Soul

Water features can be a particularly charming element when developing ideas for landscaping a hill. A closed system fountain with a solar pump, a reservoir at the hill base, running in a carefully preplanned “river bed” can provide sound, color, light, and attract a wide array of wild animals and insects to your yard.

A hill can be a challenge to plan around. It can also, however, be an incredible incentive to develop a special beauty spot for your home. Plan well, remember that safety comes first, and then implement your plan. Your hill can be a source of visual delight!

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