How can we fix the bank below our driveway?
Related Discussions
Vinyl plank flooring vs pergo (laminate)
I currently have stinky dirty carpeting in my living room and I want to replace it with a durable flooring that can stand up to dogs and kids.
How to remove popcorn ceiling that has been painted?
Does having a paint over a popcorn ceiling change how I'd remove the popcorn ceiling?
How to apply peel and stick wallpaper?
I want to spruce up my walls with peel-and-stick wallpaper. Has anyone used this before and can advise me as to how to apply it properly?
How to stain wood floor?
I've heard staining is a good technique for updating floors. So how do I stain my wood floor?
Porch Railing or Porch Wall? What Do You Think?
We've in the process of building a porch onto the front and side of our house (wraparound). We have the porch floor on, and now we're stuck, trying to decide which wo... See more
Can outdoor carpet (the green stuff) be applied to an exposed deck?
We have a deck that we spent three weekends re-doing with a HGTV recommended deck restoration product that peeled in 9 months. Cleaned and scraped, replaced rotted bo... See more
I've used railroad ties.
Just replacing the steps is a good start!
Maybe a graduated garden slope? You could also build a retaining wall, with the steps to match if you wanted them redone.
Here's an example of what I thought -
Brenda, It is a lot of work. I would call 3 local landscaping companies and get a price. Ask them to show similar work photos.
HI, I can't find the pic I was thinking of...but imagine a dry stream bed meandering across the bottom of your slope, some retaining rocks or plantings on the slope. For your steps, you could use RR ties and back fill with gravel and rocks , and a foot bridge over the stream. If the slope isn't too steep, maybe a winding rock path that blends into the stream.You could create a small swell/pond, dry or wet, at the end of the stream to give it a "destination" . Also a great place to plant bulbs for seasonal color. Like 200 daffodil bulbs, grape hyacinth, or whatever grows where you are, would put a smile on your face.
I agree, you should get some landscapers in and gather their ideas. A lot of them recycle rocks and materials to save you $.
The cheapest way is to find some big rocks and create a couple layers, similar to using railroad ties, and then plant pretty flowers, etc in each layer. or if you want to spend money, get some of those pretty retainer blocks and do in a similar way.
Depending on what you want to plant, you could put in large rocks and plant in between them. New steps for sure.
If the only issue is ugliness - save yourself a lot of time and money.... Replace the steps and leave the slope as it is. Plant Crown Vetch - which is a hardy ground cover that will spread to fill the slope, prevent erosion and bloom with a pretty pink flower. Unless you are in project mode and actually want to go through the work it takes to execute some of the great ideas mentioned above...
Stay away from railroad ties.... they contain creasote and are considered a hazardous waste. If you change your mind in the future, they are very difficult to dispose of in many areas of the country!
Here's another idea.https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AWadK0hUktZFSVE0BnhVZR1gi2-vMUazQtArwWufYfAZTRoe2pXDSpc/
Lowes carries great landscape blocks that are easy to stack, just level and place a top block on them. You could make as many rows as you have the energy for.
Hi Brenda - first, I would clean it all out so you have a blank slate to work with. I would consider putting up a back drop between the drive and the slope, like some framed out lattice panels. You'll have to haul in some compost to fill the area in. Our back yard is sloped just like that, so I'm attaching some articles on makeover projects we've done on both sides. Good luck!
https://ginghamgardens.com/2018/06/28/shade-garden-makeover/ and https://ginghamgardens.com/2017/07/16/tiered-garden-makeover/
Both of these projects have been Hometalk features.
I would get rid of all of the grass/weeds, and make it into tiers using big-ish rocks and plant things that will spread and have good ground cover