Hillside Landscaping
Hillside Landscaping
Landscaping is generally considered challenging work. It requires creativity and hard work to accomplish making a hillside landscaping others can envy. While landscaping generally is tricky the work the trickiest of landscaping is hillside landscaping. This is because water cannot be retained on a slope and therefore plant growth is hindered. But that does not mean hillside landscaping is an unattainable feat. With some creative ideas and technical know how you can turn you slope into a beautiful landscape.
The most important thing to understand is that nature always knows better. If the slope is formed naturally it should not be disturbed. Rather it is better to work with what is naturally there because mostly it is the best option in the particular environment. The rocks and soil which make the natural hillside will provide you options to play with to create a breath taking landscape. True beauty comes by working with the natural growth cycle.
One option to hillside landscaping is by making small flat terraces. This is the technique used by farmers living in mountain ranges. Each plain terrace is supported by retaining walls. These walls can be made in rock, wood and even plastic. Rock is the general medium used for making such walls as rocks do not require any maintenance later on. It is important to check the drainage of water from the walls at the time of making. It is recommended to use the help of a professional engineer when designing your retaining walls.
If the idea of terraces does not appeal to you can keep the slope as it is. Since the main issue with using slopes is water retaining and idea that works well is rock gardens. Rocks do not require any foundation to help them stay on the slope. They act as water retainers themselves and so no retaining walls are required either. You can put up plants around the rocks. This will give the plants support and the rocks will be able to retain the water necessary for plant growth. The rocks used for such gardens are large, they are usually boulders used in construction. You can even plant flowering plants around the rocks; this creates a beautiful rock and flower landscape.
You can even use both the above ideas in combination for your hillside landscaping. To do this you’ll have to make pocket trenches for large trees on your slope. Pocket trenches are just like the flat terraces but the do not dun the entire length of your slope. As the tree grows larger it will grows roots on all sides and these roots will hold the soil in place as well as help water seeping to other areas of the slope. The trenches should be large enough to give the tree enough space even as it grows. As for the rest of the slope you can make a rock garden with it.