The problems come in the special imagination and effort required to “tame” a hill —make it reasonably easy to keep neat, safeguard it against washing away, and cover it with the kind of plants you enjoy.
Another need is for steps or paths to let you travel the slope safely. You probably won’t want to put a steep slope in lawn grass—at least not if it tilts at a rate of 6″ inches or more per foot, for then it is difficult and dangerous to mow; hard rains are likely to open little gullies and wash out sod.
Instead, better plant it to something that will hold and cover the soil and requires little maintenance, or provide constructed features that can hold the bank and accommodate plantings.
Rock gardening is a subject in itself, not to be dealt with here, but it’s worth mentioning that a stony slope presents the perfect beginning for a rock garden if your interests lie in this direction.
You could include an almost infinite variety of perennial or annual plants, bulbs, or low shrubs.
Ground Cover Ideal For Slopes
Some ground covers ideal for slopes include:
- Hall’s honeysuckle (put this where it can’t spread out of hand, however)
- Euonymus coloratus or other vining kinds of euonymus
- Ground-hugging junipers like procumbens or horizontalis
- Wild strawberries
- A clambering rose like Rosa wichuraiana
- The colorful blue leadwort (Ceratostigma)
If the site is shaded, you could use the following:
- Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)
- English or Baltic ivy
- Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
In mild dry climates of the West, various kinds of ice plants are favorites on sunny slopes.
Constructed Slope
Constructed slope features take many forms. For example, if the bank is steep with fairly soft soil, the only way to hold it satisfactorily is with strong masonry or wood retaining walls in a series of terraces.
Walls of stone or brick are prettier in gardens than those of poured concrete or blocks. A drywall laid up with unmortared stones will retain a bank up to four feet high, possibly even higher, and it will permit pretty rockery plants in the crevices.
A mortared brick or stone wall is just as suitable, but be sure your builder provides it with adequate weep holes to allow water to drain instead of building up behind the wall.
Steps needed to let you walk from one level to another can be attractive landscape features. You will probably want them wide and spacious, ascending at a gentle rather than steep angle.
Even on sharp slopes, this is possible if you break the flight into two or more series with a change of direction, like a road climbs a mountain.
Night Light For Safety
Where you have stepped in the main path to the house, you’ll need to light them for night safety. Add plantings to make steps blend into your landscape theme, soften sharp corners, or provide color.
The plant’s pretty-near steps include sweet alyssum, California poppy, and most of the hardy sedums. Those with gray foliage, for example, artemisia or lamb’s-ear (Stachys), have a blending effect and seem to bring out the texture of the step itself.
Don’t overlook possibilities with bold container plants placed solidly at the end of wide steps. They dramatize the setting—and besides, this is a superb place to display prize plants deserving attention.
44659 by Rachel Snyder