Tips for Working With a Sloped Yard

Landscaping a slope presents numerous challenges, all related to gravity. If you don’t get it right, the whole project ends up at the bottom of the hill. Here are a few helpful ideas to build success on your next slope project.

Surface water is a hillside landscape’s biggest adversary. Before landscaping can commence, the water that flows across the hillside must be brought under control. Capture runoff from above the worksite before it erodes the project area, and pipe it (or otherwise divert it) to the bottom of the slope. Removing this excess water will eliminate most erosion problems.

A common and simple way to landscape a slope is by filling it with a single plant type. This method is effective, if uninspired. For a bit more interest, consider blending a mix of foliage colors and textures, growth habits and even adding in non-plant elements like boulders. Planting a diverse selection is not just nice to look at, but also hedges against disease or insect problems which could be a disaster in a monoculture.

Turfgrass is a possibility on a slope. Just remember to divert runoff water that would flow across the area prior to planting grass. Between sod and seed, sod is the easier to establish. The length of the rectangles should run across the slope, not up and down. Stagger the seams like brickwork as new rows are added. Use turf staples to anchor the pieces of sod to the ground.