Landscaping on a slope
by
Stacie
+14
I recently moved from Texas to the mountains in Virginia. (Culture shock) My yard is a huge slope and I don't know how to landscape it. Any advice for springtime planting?
Taken from my front door.
15 answers
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It may require a bit of hard work but have you considered terrace garden design? I looked it up on google and it came up with so many ideas
Bron
on Nov 16, 2015
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Agreed on the terrace idea. Another option. Several cool grasses that require little upkeep. Found a new one in FL last month called Muhley Grass. Found them here at Lowe's at a deep discount due to fall. Plumes are a wispy pink and they don't get much higher than 3 feet. Not sure if you want something you can look out over or want privacy. Grasses provide great privacy plus minimum upkeep and are quite a statement in a yard. Mix a few wave petunias flowing down the yard and your done!
169756
on Nov 16, 2015
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It depends on what you want to do with your lawn. Do you want to have large expanses of grass or a lot of gardens, shurbs, a gazebo? I see there's woods along the edge, when the leaves are on where is the shade going to be cast and at what time of day. You need to know how much sun all or parts of that open lawn will get per day so that you know what plants to choose. I moved from the mountains of PA to Deep East Texas so, like you, I wasn't familiar with many of the plants and shrubs here (for instance, no lilacs and almost no forsythia). 9 years ago I moved to a property like yours. Heavy rains turned the slope into a raging river. There were large areas of bare ground where topsoil was being washed away fast. I have a lot of trees so there were total shade areas where the bare spots were. I started shade gardens with things like Hostas, ferns, moved some cast iron plants out of the sun, caladiums and ground covers. I have added islands of azaleas, roses, shrubs. There is still grass but the more things growing to hold the soil in place cuts way down on the "rivers". You don't have to wait until Spring. Fall is when to plant many shrubs, flowering trees, evergreen gardens (check out dwarf evergreens, they will blow you away). Also certain bulbs and many are great for "naturalizing", like daffodils that spread. Plan out areas where you can "see" a plan developing and start your areas now so that come Spring you will already be greeted with beauty. Enjoy the snow, LOL. I don't miss it AT ALL!
JoAnn Dibeler
on Nov 16, 2015
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I to have sloppy property. The first thing we did was put a retaining wall in to hold the soil in place.Then a two tiered deck was installed. Once that was done the landscaping followed.Before you plant anything you must know your hardiness zone.You also need to take into consideration the amount of sunlight your area receives.For suggestions of landscaping ideas or plants I would research fine gardening for some inspiration.
Janet Pizaro
on Nov 16, 2015
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Terracing is really important as you age. It is trickier to walk down a slope than steps and terraces. I know, I live on a bluff over a river. Rocks, leaves can be treacherous unless you have a tree to hang onto.. Also, soil tends to slide downhill and soon your deck posts need shoring up. We built a long terrace the length of our house and then smaller half round terraces around each post. I then planted shrubs with roots that help hold the soil.
DORLIS
on Nov 16, 2015
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Welcome to VA where the clay is red and the weather is fickle as a teenage girl. You may be in zone 7 where Jan and Feb the temps dip to 10 at night but can reach 40 during the day. I would suggest looking at native plants and not digging up what is already established but working with what you have and slowly changing your landscape. Many things are invasive here and be wary of groundcovers such as ivy, periwinkle, pachysandria, and even vinca. If you just moved, I suggest waiting for spring to see what comes up and VA has downpours so you have to keep this in mind when planting on slopes. We rarely get soft gentle rains. I see a natural area behind you and you may be surprised what comes up and you will have many deer visiting. There are so many native plants to work with for slopes depending upon shade or sun. After the leaves finishing falling, you could start by getting seeds (coneflowers, black eyed susans, gaillardia, coreposis, butterfly weed, are a few seeds to sow) and sowing them in December or very early spring. Also Red Oaks will not shed leaves until early spring so you will see some trees with leaves until late winter and early spring. You will also find out we are the capital of allergies here in VA too. I love VA and there are so many plants you can grow here! Happy gardening and do not forget to check out native plants which can be mixed in with most non native plants.
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Nov 16, 2015
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I fully endorse what both Dorlis and The Garden Frog Boutique have to say. Be patient and let nature reward you with beautiful surprises. The area is beautiful, what a wonderful place to live!
Valerie
on Nov 16, 2015
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You could naturalize the lower area by taking handfuls of daffodils and throwing them and plant where they land. I did this with some other small bulbs and they come up early spring with their purple blooms. They appear before its time to mow....so with other perennials I have a continuous blooming period and carry it on with annuals for the latter part of summer and then the fall perennials take over. After you terrace you should know three fourths of your planting expense is in preparation and the other fourth is in the plants.
Sue Sanders
on Nov 16, 2015
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I also agree with the garden frog. But I would also recommend that since you probably have a clay soil that you use what your trees have left in the yard! Rake up your leaves and put them in the beds that are already there. Water them good. Over time the leaves will decompose, at least by spring, and then you can till them into the soil. This will help loosen up that clay soil, and your plants will thank you for it. As far as plants are concerned, Tulips, daffodils, crocus for naturalization. If you have deep shade hostas are wonderful for the areas that don't get sunlight. Hostas will flower during the summer and they come in many different shades of green and one is even a cream color! Good luck and have fun, just think of it as dirt therapy!
Sheri N
on Nov 16, 2015
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Thanks for the info, I will definitely look into this!
Stacie
on Nov 16, 2015
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Hi, I too just recently moved from Houston to Southern Md. I am so going to follow this post! U r yard looks almost like mine! We have a lot of trees! I had some inpatients, but the deer ate them!
Bonnie witlam
on Nov 16, 2015
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Am not too sure ] seems you have a walkway with pavers, but then there is another area behind the railway tie that looks like it is set up for another walkway?? I would deide on the walkway first, and then address the other landscaping.
Marion Nesbitt
on Nov 17, 2015
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I would rake or blow off the leaves from the grass and apply Scott's Turf Builder winter guard weed and feed. This product will kill weeds and strengthens your grass for a fabulous spring lawn. (rake away the leaves from the landscape beds as well). Many people have provided great ideas that waiting for spring would be a natural thing to do since you do not know what has been planted. Gardeners know all the dirt!
Cornelia Schott
on Nov 17, 2015
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I used old wood pallets to make a raised bed veggie garden. Turned out to be the best and I can use as cold frames in winter.
Lisa Gage
on Nov 17, 2015
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You can always terrace it and plant Daffodils in the fall so you'll have a pretty show of yellows ( deer won't eat them, they hate them). Get a list from a nursery of plants and flowers deer usually leave alone. With all those trees planting Daffs under them would be pretty. Good lluck.
Cheryl J. Haire
on Nov 19, 2015
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