They’re also challenging to walk on and work on.
Gardening on a slope additionally comes with the risk of soil runoff.
However, hillsides also have some built-in advantages.
The Spruce / Marie Iannotti
Soil erosion is bound to happen with water and gravity doing the dirty work.
you’re able to also stagger retaining walls to build a tiered garden on a slope.
Consider installing a retaining wall if you have a steep slope of over 50% or 45 degrees.
Kirk Longpré /Pacific Horticulture
It can be a challenge to get supplies and water to the area.
It would be wise to consider drip irrigation, and pathways between the vegetable rows are a must.
Anchoring a Hillside Garden
The soil on a hillside is often less than ideal.
The Spruce / Marie Iannotti
The topsoil tends to wash off quickly, taking the nutrients and fertility with it.
It’s not uncommon to have a hillside, primarily rocks, barely covered with a topping of soil.
In that case, you may have to create planting pockets and add some additional soil to establish plants.
sdgtracker
This gardener made use of two workhorses,astilbeandhosta.
She divided the original plants and quickly covered the entire slope within a few years.
Terracing a Hillside With Stone
Stone wallsare a classic way to terrace and tame a hillside.
The Spruce / Marie Iannotti
These homeowners live near a wooded lot that slopes toward their yard and house.
They limbed up the trees to create a clearer view.
The effect is almost a fairytale setting that sets the house as a destination.
1001 Gardens
However, you do not have to landscape the entire hillsideat least not all at once.
Take advantage of the area closest to your living area and create manageable planting boxes.
Plants need water to become established, and watering a barren slope is an invitation for runoff.
Solidaria Garden
This gardener made his hillsiderock garden look naturalby allowing the rocks to tumble and land where they may.
As the plants fill in, it looks like the whole garden evolved independently.
As with any other slope, you need tough plants that won’t require a lot of grooming.
The Spruce / Marie iannotti
Shrubs and evergreen are ideal for this situation.
Not only do they have four seasons of interest, they require minimal, if any, maintenance.
A little pruning in the spring and your hillside should look good for the rest of the year.
The Spruce / Marie Iannotti
Using flowers in white and soft pastels will keep the cool feel of the woodland.
you could extend the color past the spring bloomers with white and yellow variegated foliage.
All these plants hold the ground in place and require minimal maintenance during the growing season.
Carol Norquist / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
They can even be left standing for winter interest.
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Scott Beuerlein /State by State Gardening
The Spruce / Marie Iannotti
