In this article, ideas that will help equip a site that has a noticeable slope. We hope that our advice will help you turn the presence of a slope from a disadvantage into an advantage of the site, its highlight and the most noticeable element of landscape design.
Equipping a site with a slope, one should not forget about convenient ways of movement.
If the slope is very noticeable, of course, one cannot do without ladders and steps.
1. Deck
Above the slope, you can build a real deck from a decking board. This area will offer a beautiful view, and the deck itself will be an ideal place for outdoor recreation. Most often, such sites are equipped near the house, but they can be built in any part of the garden that differs in slope.
The deck can be supported by poles or a solid concrete foundation. A terrace board is used, which perfectly withstands all temperature fluctuations and is not afraid of moisture.
The deck above the property will, of course, feature garden furniture that will transform the outdoor area into a cozy family dining area.
2. Alpine slide
This element of landscape design traditionally rises above the site, and when arranging an alpine hill, you usually have to make an embankment. So why not use a natural slope, which will be the perfect location for such a "stone bed".
To create an alpine slide, flowers are used that feel good on rocky soil and slopes, strengthen the earth. This arrangement will emphasize the "stony flower bed", highlighting it from the surrounding space.
3. Terracing
Have you ever seen rice fields located on the slopes on separate steps? The same method can be used in the country. Experts advise creating three or four terraces in areas with a height difference of about three meters. For their arrangement, retaining walls are used, created from concrete, reinforced mesh, stones or boards.
Each such terrace can have its own function - beds with vegetables will appear on one, shrubs on the second, and a flower bed on the third. These will be clearly defined separate zones with their own borders, united, for example, by an inclined path, stone or wooden steps. Terracing is done across the slope.
The disadvantage of terracing is that the supporting walls themselves will take up a lot of space, so there will be less land left for flower beds and beds.
Experts advise building the outer side of each terrace with a slope towards the slope to ensure natural water runoff during heavy rains.
Metal plates can also serve as retaining walls. In this case, professionals advise adding natural materials and elements, for example, large boulders, which will soften the coldness of the metal.
Gabions can be used as a retaining wall on a site with a slope.
4. Stream and waterfall
If your site has a slope, this is a great opportunity to create an artificial stream or waterfall. To do this, you do not have to equip the embankment and worry about the flow of water, everything will happen naturally. A water cascade can also decorate a retaining wall supporting one of the terraces.
The slope is already there, it remains to take care of the course of the future stream and think about exactly where your future river will flow.
The stream-cascade on the slope, surrounded by lush thickets of juniper, looks very natural, it seems created by nature itself.
5. Vertical garden
On a site with a slope, the most noticeable part will, of course, be the upper wall or fence. Its design should be given special attention, for example, to create a beautiful vertical garden.
Along the most visible, located at the top wall of the site, you can arrange tall plants in flowerpots or pots. You can use vertical gardening techniques on the wall itself. Climbing plants are ideal, such as parthenocissus, honeysuckle, common ivy, or vichi grapes.
6. Observation deck with a bench
A site with a slope usually does not offer a place to relax - only terraces and paths with steps connecting them. Allocate one terrace for a small seating area - plant a tree there, and install a bench in its shade. You will get a beautiful observation deck where it will be so nice to sit with a book or just admire your lush garden. Of course, for the arrangement of the viewing area, it is better to choose one of the upper terraces to provide a beautiful view.
Find a place on the site for a swing sofa or a regular bench and you will get a great seating area with a view of the entire lower part of the site.
7. Ornamental garden
A plot, even with a strong slope, is not a reason to abandon the cultivation of herbs, spices and vegetables. True, the arrangement of the beds will have to be taken care of additionally. High beds in special flowerpots are perfect.
This site has a strong slope, but this did not stop the owners from equipping a garden that looks attractive and will bring a good harvest.
In a cramped space between two stone retaining walls, there will still be enough space for cabbages and greens anyway.
8. "Wild" slope
It is not at all necessary to bring your site with a strong slope in perfect order. It is quite possible to leave it in its natural state, providing only a convenient descent-ascent in the form of steps or stairs. And on the sides of the path let grow such plants that do not require constant care, such as crocuses, botanical tulips, mint and lemon balm, bluebells, St. John's wort, ayuga.
By the way, all ground cover plants perfectly strengthen the slopes. In addition, for this purpose, you can plant sea buckthorn, broom, wild rose, lilac, cotoneaster, Japanese quince - all these shrubs do not require special care and feel great on an inclined surface, holding the soil with their roots.
Who said that a site on a slope must necessarily be decorated with regular flower beds with their clear boundaries, have a “sleek” civilized look? Do natural slopes with their wild flowers and shrubs look less attractive?
In conclusion, we note that landscape design experts are confident that it is easier to design a plot with a slope when the house is on a hill. However, if there is no other way out and the cottage had to be located at the very bottom of the slope, do not despair - many of our tips can also be used for such an arrangement, which is considered the most disadvantageous.
In general, many professionals are convinced that a flat terrain is too boring, but a natural slope can be used "to the fullest", turning it into an unusually beautiful place. Try it, perhaps, after the completion of the work, you will also be convinced of their correctness!
A summer cottage on a slope can be considered as the most unfortunate option for individual construction, but you can also look at it from the other side. Some designers are happy to take on the design of such non-standard territories. It is on the slope that you can let go of all your imagination and embody a wide variety of artistic ideas, combine the incompatible, turn inconvenience into benefit and beauty.
An example of landscape design for a site on a slope
To implement some ideas, artificial hills, embankments, rises and slopes are created on flat areas, and a plot with a slope is a ready-made natural blank, it remains only to arrange it. The main drawback that accompanies the improvement of the territory on the slope is, of course, considerable costs and labor-intensive work. You can’t do without it, because for arranging, growing a garden, conducting garden work, you will need to build retaining walls, fortifications, terraces, steps.
Landscaping and the location of buildings and zones can be very diverse and depend on the degree of slope, the location of the estate.
Zoning rules
The design of the site on the slope and the location of the functional areas depend on the preferences of the owners and the possibilities of the territory. Any zoning option requires compliance with its own rules.
Fortifications - decorations
The main disadvantages of the “steep” section are soil shedding and washing out by groundwater. In order for the dacha to please more than one generation, a series of difficult earthworks aimed at strengthening is simply necessary. But the created cascading terraces, walls will help create that very unique atmosphere.
It is also desirable to place shrubs on the slope mainly those that have a branched root system: as they grow, they will both delight and strengthen the slope.
Juniper, dogwood, wild rose, barberry, euonymus, dwarf spruce - these plants turn a neglected hill into a special landscape corner, and also help prevent shedding and retain moisture. Retaining walls are engineering structures that must ensure the consolidation of the soil, restrain the masses of the earth. Slope planning without retaining structures is simply impossible.
Planning and zoning of a site located under a slope Depending on the quality of the reinforced soil, retaining walls can be divided into light and capital. Capital retaining walls up to 3 meters high are solid structures that require, and are designed for long-term containment and strengthening of a heavy mass of soil. Before arranging such a wall, a careful engineering calculation is needed.
Light walls are erected without a powerful foundation, they are intended more for decoration, strengthening a small area. The material from which the retaining walls are made:
Soaring gardens and nature views
Retaining walls, installed according to a certain plan, create a kind of landscape landscape with terraces. Terracing on a steep slope allows you to create favorable areas with soil for a vegetable garden, garden, flower beds. Also, with the help of separate terraces, recreation areas are favorably separated.
Option for arranging terraces on the slopes of the site You can arrange stepped platforms vertically one after another, you can checkerboard, there is only one requirement: the steeper the slope, the narrower the terrace should be.
Properly carried out strengthening of the site with the help of terracing should solve several problems at once:
- The dacha is divided into convenient functional areas.
- The slope is strengthened, optimal conditions for water runoff are created.
- Created together with the terrace, the staircase facilitates freedom of movement.
Very interesting ideas for creating recreation areas on terraced areas. They can be located at different levels. The upper terrace can turn into a viewing platform from which you can admire the amazing landscape while drinking tea at a table. 
A recreation area on the lower terrace, on the contrary, will create a protected private environment, allowing you to hide from prying eyes and drafts.
One step, two steps
It is unthinkable without the arrangement of elements such as stairs and. The main stairs for descent and ascent can be part of the terraces or paved separately on the slope. In any case, the steps should be as convenient as possible for transition and at the same time emphasize the style of the entire estate.
An example of the arrangement of stairs on the site Additional paths are equipped with steps or laid out with serpentine. On very high slopes, it is appropriate to make transitions, install benches for rest on them. Railings and platforms of stairs and paths are places for decoration with creepers and climbing flowers.
The material from which the staircase is made can be wood, and stone, and brick and concrete slabs: only compliance in design, convenience and safety is important.
In this article, we will offer you ideas that will help you equip a site that has a noticeable slope. We hope that our advice will help you turn the presence of a slope from a disadvantage into an advantage of the site, its highlight and the most noticeable element of landscape design.
Usually, a flat relief is positioned as the main advantage of the house adjoining area. In fact, on such an allotment it is easier to carry out construction, arrange landscape design, you can choose any project you like.
However, if your plot of land has a noticeable slope, you should not give up and assume that nothing can be done about it. There are several options for turning the slope into the most beautiful element of the allotment. The most interesting of them we will offer you in this article.
Equipping a site with a slope, one should not forget about convenient ways of movement. If the slope is very noticeable, of course, you can’t do without ladders and steps.
1. Deck
Above the slope, you can build a real deck from a decking board. This area will offer a beautiful view, and the deck itself will be an ideal place for outdoor recreation. Most often, such sites are equipped near the house, but they can be built in any part of the garden that differs in slope.
The deck can be supported by poles or a solid concrete foundation. A terrace board is used, which perfectly withstands all temperature changes and is not afraid of moisture.
The deck above the property will, of course, feature garden furniture that will transform the outdoor area into a cozy area for family dining outdoors.
2. Alpine slide
This element of landscape design traditionally rises above the site, and when arranging an alpine hill, you usually have to make an embankment. So why not use a natural slope, which will be the perfect location for such a "stone bed".
To create an alpine slide, flowers are used that feel good on rocky soil and slopes, strengthen the earth. This arrangement will emphasize the "stony flower bed", highlighting it from the surrounding space.
3. Terracing
Have you ever seen rice fields located on the slopes on separate steps? The same method can be used in the country. Experts advise creating three or four terraces in areas with a height difference of about three meters. For their arrangement, retaining walls are used, created from concrete, reinforced mesh, stones or boards.
Each such terrace can have its own function - beds with vegetables will appear on one, shrubs on the second, and a flower bed on the third. These will be clearly defined separate zones with their own borders, united, for example, by an inclined path, stone or wooden steps. Terracing is done across the slope.
The disadvantage of terracing is that the supporting walls themselves will take up a lot of space, so there will be less land left for flower beds and beds.
Experts advise building the outer side of each terrace with a slope towards the slope to ensure natural water runoff during heavy rains.
Metal plates can also serve as retaining walls. In this case, professionals advise adding natural materials and elements, for example, large boulders, which will soften the coldness of the metal.
Gabions can be used as a retaining wall on a site with a slope.
4. Stream and waterfall
If your site has a slope, this is a great opportunity to create an artificial stream or waterfall. To do this, you do not have to equip the embankment and worry about the flow of water, everything will happen naturally. A water cascade can also decorate a retaining wall supporting one of the terraces.
The slope is already there, it remains to take care of the course of the future stream and think about where exactly your future river will flow
A cascade stream on a slope, surrounded by lush juniper thickets, looks very natural, it seems created by nature itself
5. Vertical garden
On a site with a slope, the most noticeable part will, of course, be the upper wall or fence. Its design should be given special attention, for example, to create a beautiful vertical garden.
Along the most visible, located at the top wall of the site, you can arrange tall plants in flowerpots or pots. You can use vertical gardening techniques on the wall itself. Climbing plants are ideal, such as parthenocissus, honeysuckle, common ivy or vichi grapes.
6. Observation deck with a bench
A site with a slope usually does not offer a place to relax - only terraces and paths with steps connecting them. Allocate one terrace for a small seating area - plant a tree there, and install a bench in its shade. You will get a beautiful observation deck where it will be so nice to sit with a book or just admire your lush garden. Of course, for the arrangement of the viewing area, it is better to choose one of the upper terraces to provide a beautiful view.
Find a place on the site for a swing sofa or a regular bench and you will get a great seating area with a view of the entire lower part of the site.
7. Ornamental garden
A plot, even with a strong slope, is not a reason to abandon the cultivation of herbs, spices and vegetables. True, the arrangement of the beds will have to be taken care of additionally. High beds in special flowerpots are perfect.
This site has a strong slope, but this did not stop the owners from equipping a garden that looks attractive and will bring a good harvest.
In a cramped space between two retaining walls made of stone, in any case, there will be enough space for cabbages and greens.
8. "Wild" slope
It is not at all necessary to bring your site with a strong slope in perfect order. It is quite possible to leave it in its natural state, providing only a convenient descent-ascent in the form of steps or stairs. And on the sides of the path let grow such plants that do not require constant care, such as crocuses, botanical tulips, mint and lemon balm, bluebells, St. John's wort, ayuga.
By the way, all ground cover plants perfectly strengthen the slopes. In addition, for this purpose, you can plant sea buckthorn, broom, wild rose, lilac, cotoneaster, Japanese quince - all these shrubs do not require special care and feel great on an inclined surface, holding the soil with their roots.
Who said that a site on a slope must necessarily be decorated with regular flower beds with their clear boundaries, have a “sleek” civilized look? Do natural slopes with their wild flowers and shrubs look less attractive?
In conclusion, we note that landscape design experts are confident that it is easier to design a plot with a slope when the house is on a hill. However, if there is no other way out and the cottage had to be located at the very bottom of the slope, do not despair - many of our tips can also be used for such an arrangement, which is considered the most disadvantageous.
In general, many professionals are convinced that a flat terrain is too boring, but a natural slope can be used "to the fullest", turning it into an unusually beautiful place. Try it, perhaps, after the completion of the work, you will also be convinced of their correctness!
In this article, we will offer you ideas that will help you equip a site that has a noticeable slope. We hope that our advice will help you turn the presence of a slope from a disadvantage into an advantage of the site, its highlight and the most noticeable element of landscape design.
Usually, a flat relief is positioned as the main advantage of the house adjoining area. In fact, on such an allotment it is easier to carry out construction, arrange landscape design, you can choose any project you like.
However, if your plot of land has a noticeable slope, you should not give up and assume that nothing can be done about it. There are several options for turning the slope into the most beautiful element of the allotment. The most interesting of them we will offer you in this article.
Equipping a site with a slope, one should not forget about convenient ways of movement. If the slope is very noticeable, of course, you can’t do without ladders and steps.
1. Deck
Above the slope, you can build a real deck from a decking board. This area will offer a beautiful view, and the deck itself will be an ideal place for outdoor recreation. Most often, such sites are equipped near the house, but they can be built in any part of the garden that differs in slope.
The deck can be supported by poles or a solid concrete foundation. A terrace board is used, which perfectly withstands all temperature changes and is not afraid of moisture.
The deck above the property will, of course, feature garden furniture that will transform the outdoor area into a cozy area for family dining outdoors.
2. Alpine slide
This element of landscape design traditionally rises above the site, and when arranging an alpine hill, you usually have to make an embankment. So why not use a natural slope, which will be the perfect location for such a "stone bed".
To create an alpine slide, flowers are used that feel good on rocky soil and slopes, strengthen the earth. This arrangement will emphasize the "stony flower bed", highlighting it from the surrounding space.
3. Terracing
Have you ever seen rice fields located on the slopes on separate steps? The same method can be used in the country. Experts advise creating three or four terraces in areas with a height difference of about three meters. For their arrangement, retaining walls are used, created from concrete, reinforced mesh, stones or boards.
Each such terrace can have its own function - beds with vegetables will appear on one, shrubs on the second, and a flower bed on the third. These will be clearly defined separate zones with their own borders, united, for example, by an inclined path, stone or wooden steps. Terracing is done across the slope.
The disadvantage of terracing is that the supporting walls themselves will take up a lot of space, so there will be less land left for flower beds and beds.
Experts advise building the outer side of each terrace with a slope towards the slope to ensure natural water runoff during heavy rains.
Metal plates can also serve as retaining walls. In this case, professionals advise adding natural materials and elements, for example, large boulders, which will soften the coldness of the metal.
Gabions can be used as a retaining wall on a site with a slope.
4. Stream and waterfall
If your site has a slope, this is a great opportunity to create an artificial stream or waterfall. To do this, you do not have to equip the embankment and worry about the flow of water, everything will happen naturally. A water cascade can also decorate a retaining wall supporting one of the terraces.
The slope is already there, it remains to take care of the course of the future stream and think about where exactly your future river will flow
A cascade stream on a slope, surrounded by lush juniper thickets, looks very natural, it seems created by nature itself
5. Vertical garden
On a site with a slope, the most noticeable part will, of course, be the upper wall or fence. Its design should be given special attention, for example, to create a beautiful vertical garden.
Along the most visible, located at the top wall of the site, you can arrange tall plants in flowerpots or pots. You can use vertical gardening techniques on the wall itself. Climbing plants are ideal, such as parthenocissus, honeysuckle, common ivy or vichi grapes.
6. Observation deck with a bench
A site with a slope usually does not offer a place to relax - only terraces and paths with steps connecting them. Allocate one terrace for a small seating area - plant a tree there, and install a bench in its shade. You will get a beautiful observation deck where it will be so nice to sit with a book or just admire your lush garden. Of course, for the arrangement of the viewing area, it is better to choose one of the upper terraces to provide a beautiful view.
Find a place on the site for a swing sofa or a regular bench and you will get a great seating area with a view of the entire lower part of the site.
7. Ornamental garden
A plot, even with a strong slope, is not a reason to abandon the cultivation of herbs, spices and vegetables. True, the arrangement of the beds will have to be taken care of additionally. High beds in special flowerpots are perfect.
This site has a strong slope, but this did not stop the owners from equipping a garden that looks attractive and will bring a good harvest.
In a cramped space between two retaining walls made of stone, in any case, there will be enough space for cabbages and greens.
8. "Wild" slope
It is not at all necessary to bring your site with a strong slope in perfect order. It is quite possible to leave it in its natural state, providing only a convenient descent-ascent in the form of steps or stairs. And on the sides of the path let grow such plants that do not require constant care, such as crocuses, botanical tulips, mint and lemon balm, bluebells, St. John's wort, ayuga.
By the way, all ground cover plants perfectly strengthen the slopes. In addition, for this purpose, you can plant sea buckthorn, broom, wild rose, lilac, cotoneaster, Japanese quince - all these shrubs do not require special care and feel great on an inclined surface, holding the soil with their roots.
Who said that a site on a slope must necessarily be decorated with regular flower beds with their clear boundaries, have a “sleek” civilized look? Do natural slopes with their wild flowers and shrubs look less attractive?
In conclusion, we note that landscape design experts are confident that it is easier to design a plot with a slope when the house is on a hill. However, if there is no other way out and the cottage had to be located at the very bottom of the slope, do not despair - many of our tips can also be used for such an arrangement, which is considered the most disadvantageous.
In general, many professionals are convinced that a flat terrain is too boring, but a natural slope can be used "to the fullest", turning it into an unusually beautiful place. Try it, perhaps, after the completion of the work, you will also be convinced of their correctness!
Buying a dacha is a very responsible step, because everyone dreams of a plot in a picturesque place, with a flat terrain, good neighbors, a river nearby and other benefits.
But the ideal option is not so easy to find, there will always be something wrong. And if you got a summer cottage on a slope, do not panic. This is not the worst and not such a rare occurrence, and in some cases such a relief even has its advantages.
In the article we will consider how to be in this case, how to properly plan the territory, arrange an integral part of the dacha - a garden, as well as the main nuances of landscape design.
Pros and cons of a site on a slope
In order to objectively assess your capabilities, as well as determine future costs, you need to know the features of your site, namely its positive and negative sides.
Of the positive points, the following can be distinguished:
- water will not stagnate, so the site will always be dry;
- properly designed, such a site looks very beautiful and picturesque, there is a lot of room for imagination;
- if the slope is southern, then the site will always be well lit, which is very good for growing plants, the harvest will also be higher and better;
- from the windows of the house you can always see the entire site, especially when the building is at its highest point;
- the slope is an ideal basis for the construction of alpine slides, cascades and waterfalls.
However, as a counterbalance to the advantages of such a relief, there are also negative aspects that should be considered when planning a site on a slope:
- plants will need frequent watering, because even after rain, moisture will linger in the soil for a short time, it will drain down the slope and stagnate at its base;
- if the house is located in the middle of the site or at the bottom of the slope, there is a high probability of water flowing under the foundation;
- the northern slope is in every sense unfavorable, because it will always be poorly lit, the plants will often freeze, the crop will not fully ripen;
- it is almost impossible to make a lawn on a steep slope;
- in terms of money, arranging a steep slope is a very costly exercise, unlike a flat or flat area;
- the presence of unstable areas can lead to landslides, surface erosion, erosion;
- the lack of flat surfaces deprives you of the opportunity to put a table, play ball;
- walking on an incline all day long is very tiring;
- if you have small children, then you should take care of their safety, because a steep slope is not a place for them to play;
- there will be difficulty with the location and arrangement of functional areas - a vegetable garden, an economic block, a garden, etc.;
- there may be problems with the water supply.
When choosing a site, if you have such an opportunity, pay attention to gentle slopes from 3 to 20 degrees, which is the optimal value for creating a garden. In addition, it will be easier to move along it, the effect of water is also not so destructive.
Avoid buying a site located at the foot of the slope, as water will accumulate here, which will lead to waterlogging. Avoid the northern slope as well.
How to plan a site on a slope?
This issue is very important, and in order to properly plan the slope, the best solution would be slope terracing. To do this, first remove the vegetation layer and, using specialized equipment, move the soil so that the entire area is divided into terraces (horizontal platforms at different heights). As a result, you should get a kind of stepped system, usually represented by two or three terraces.
Before you start earthworks, you should first plan the slope on paper, estimate the approximate location of the terraces, and also break them into functional zones.
The house is best located at the highest point or in the middle of the site. Not far from it, you can equip a place for a gazebo and a small area for installing a barbecue. On the other side of the house, protected from the wind, you can make a pergola and put a bench. The toilet is also better located in the middle part, but not closer than 20 m from the water source.
The tracks are unlikely to be straight. Most likely they will be tortuous. On a very steep terrain, stairs cannot be dispensed with. However, all this will only add beauty and picturesqueness to the site.
Another important question is how to properly arrange the beds? In no case do not place them at the foot of the slope, where cold air will accumulate. It is better to take a plot under the garden, located higher, well lit and protected from the wind. In the latter case, you can plant a windproof hedge, which must be placed perpendicular to the direction of the wind.
How to strengthen a garden plot with a slope?
It is also worth knowing that the slope has mobility, i.e. over time, the soil will crumble. Therefore, an important point is its strengthening.
The creation of terraces involves the installation of retaining walls, which will keep a certain amount of soil from shedding. Try to make terraces with a wall height of no more than 60 cm. For a construction of such a height, you will need a crushed stone pillow (20-30 cm thick).
The wall itself should have a slope towards the terrace, which it supports. It is better to use stone as a material for its construction, but concrete blocks and bricks can also be used.
Plant ornamental plants at the base and above the wall. Also, retaining walls will become a visual divider of the site into zones.
Slopes do not have to be terraced. It is enough to strengthen them from shedding with a geogrid. To do this, at a depth of about 0.5 meters, a plastic mesh is laid, which is fastened with the help of pieces of reinforcement driven into the ground. Then we fill the grid with soil and install the geogrid. We fill it with fertile soil and sow the lawn.
The slope can also be strengthened with plants planted on it. Their roots, growing, will firmly hold the soil, not allowing it to crumble. For these purposes, species such as juniper, barberry, mountain pine, spruce, cotoneaster, quince, forsythia, action, mock orange, lilac, felt cherry, etc. are suitable. As you can see, all these plants will not only strengthen the slope, but also decorate the landscape.