DIY Hillside Solutions

By Steve Kelley

Tired of mowing that steep hillside?

That is if you can get grass to grow on the hillside.

Hillside solutions are a common problem many people face. There are many ways to deal with your slope dilemma, ranging from costly to relatively inexpensive. When you are deciding what will be best for your yard there are a few things to consider.

The first thing to consider is the amount of sun the area is getting and whether you have large, over hanging trees whithin close proximity to the slope. The amount of sun exposure will make a big difference on your choice of suitable plants for the area. If the hillside receives more than 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, you will want plants labeled "Full Sun". If the area receives less than 6 hours of sunlight per day, you will want plants labeled "Partial Sun" or "Shade".

Ideas for Sunny Slopes

Junipers are a popular low cost, low growing, low maintenance ground cover for any area, flat or steep.

Daylilies are a nice perennial to use that will bloom in the Spring and come back year after year.

Barberry bushes will give you color all year long and have red berries in the winter. They do have thorns, which can be a drawback especially when trimming them.

Roses are another thorny bush to plant and are always a nice addition to any plant beds.

Butterfly bushes are a beautiful bush to plant. They have nice colorful blooms in the summer until Autumn. Butterfly bushes can grow rather large so you will want to plant them toward the back of your flower gardens.

Ideas for Shady Slopes

Liriope blooms in the late summer to fall and should be cut back in early Spring. Once established it spreads relatively fast and can be split over and over again.

Pachysandra blooms in spring and summer and is a deer resistant plant. Pachysandra prefers well-drained soil.

Periwinkle is another deer resistant plant. Periwinkle blooms in spring, summer and fall.

English Ivy is a fast spreading plant, but does not bloom. Be careful not to let it get out of hand, since it will take over other plants if not cut back.

Goutweed is another rapidly spreading plant that is good for erosion control on hillsides. Goutweed produces clusters of small, white flowers in mid-summer.

Retaining or Decorative Walls

Although stone walls tend to be more expensive than planting plants, it does offer another way to deal with the slope or hillside. Usually I would recommend incorporating both plants and stone together on the hillside. The possibilities of wall placement and plant options are limitless. I have provided two of the more popular designs our clients request.

Placement of semi-circular shapes in aesthetically pleasing locations on the hillside. These walls are generally placed half way up the hillside. I recommend placing larger plants or bushes toward the back of the bed, behind the decorative walls. Plants lower growing plants down below the walls to the grass line.

Placement of walls to create a tiered slope. Depending on the size of your slope will depend on the number of tiers you will need to incorporate into your plan. You will want to measure the difference in elevation between the top and bottom of the slope. This way you can plan how many walls you need and the height they need to be. Planning in advance will make sure your walls are evenly spaced and the same height.

For either of the wall designs you could use a manufactured block or a natural fieldstone rock, either dry stacked or mortared together. This aspect of the design will come down to personal preference. The most important thing to remember as you build your wall up is to backfill the wall to provide it with the needed support. Also take into consideration the amount of hydrostatic pressure will increase as you build higher and a french drain will be required behind the wall to alleviate the hydrostatic pressure. As you build walls, county permits may be required. Check your local county's building codes before you build.

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