How to Landscape a Hillside?

Landscaping your property has a lot of advantages. It serves as a beautiful backdrop to your home. It helps improve your mental health and can raise your property’s value. You can even do it yourself if you have a modest-sized yard. It’s a different matter if your house sits on a hill or you have a sloping property. You can still get a gorgeous yard but you need to work with someone who knows how to landscape a hillside.

Hillside landscaping is very challenging. You can face problems even if you understand how to do landscaping on your own. There are a lot of issues to consider, like soil type and drainage. You should also design easy access to your home. It’s also vital that you choose the best type of plants for the space. This article will share some simple hillside lawn landscaping ideas and how to go about it.

Plan to Preserve the View

People who buy hillside homes do so for the view. Your property’s value will become affected by this. This means the view is the starting point of any landscaping design. A landscaper will plan the design with great care since every property is different.

There are also many factors to consider. The landscaper can check for existing boulders and trees. They’ll check for soil erosion and flooding. Any homeowner will also want to preserve the view. The neighbor’s view is also a consideration. You don’t want to cut down trees or add a retaining wall only to face complaints from the house next door in the future.

Choose Your Plants Well

Plant selection is very important when you have a sloping property. The plants often used in simple landscape ideas for the front of the house might not grow well on a hillside. Water drains faster on slopes, so the soil is drier. You’d do well to choose plants native to the area as they’ve already adapted to the temperature of the area. Perennials and drought-resistant plants and trees are also good options. Here are some suggestions on what to plant on your hill:

• Sedge: This perennial grows well in almost all types of soils. It can handle long periods without water. It also comes in a variety of colors.
• Fountain Grass: This plant produces dense clumps of leaves. It also has spikes of beautiful flowers during summer. It loves the full sun and spreads well. It has many varieties of differing heights. Planting several types will create an interesting texture.
• Creeping Juniper: This is a good choice since it’s low growing and creeps along the ground. You don’t have to prune them once they’ve rooted well. They also come in various shades of greens and blue-greens.
• Lantana: Another hardy plant that’s ideal for hillsides. The plant produces clusters of small vibrant flowers. It’s easy to plant and it can grow into a bush in no time at all.
• Groundcover Roses: These roses are an amazing addition to any soil level. The roses can cover large areas. They’re zero maintenance but need full sun. They come in many colors and bloom for a long time.

Keep Some of the Existing Trees or Plants

You should also make the most of the existing vegetation on your property. A good landscaper will get rid of invasive or poisonous plants. But they will leave some of the local plants and trees. Grown trees can provide shade. They will also help hold the soil. The existing plants will also have the same function. You can then add bushes and other plants that will complement them.

Install a Unique Retaining Wall

A retaining wall is a common feature when it comes to landscaping a hillside. It can be from any material, although stone and concrete are the top preferences. The wall will help secure the soil and prevent erosion.

A retaining wall can serve many purposes. Aside from ensuring stability, it can also create an extra living space. You can install a wall to create terraces. You can turn each level into a garden or a patio. A retaining wall can add beauty, either by its design or the texture of the material used. You can even grow hardy plants like thyme and sedum. These species grow well in cracks and crevasses.

Add Stairs or Create a Path

Your landscaper will ask you whether you prefer a flat path or stairs when it comes to how to plan a landscape. You need to create access to your home, and both are good choices. They will make it easier and safer to go up to your home. A path can be a relaxing and romantic choice.

Stairs have a lot of advantages as well. It can have a big impact on landscape design. You can opt for large steps and use them as landing points for plants. For example, you can line potted plants along their edges. The most important thing is to pick the right, sturdy materials.

Did you get some ideas on how to design your yard? You should also read this post on how to make the most of your garden space.

Make a Statement

Do you want your property to have that wow factor? Landscape Improvements can make that happen. We are one of Florida’s top landscaping companies. We’ve been creating outdoor havens of peace and beauty for decades now. Our expert landscapers can come up with sustainable designs perfect for your property.

We offer commercial and residential landscaping and maintenance. We do landscape lighting, container gardening, and arbor care. You can reach us at 407-606-7326. You can also send us an email at info@landscapeimprovementsfl.com.