Landscaping on a Slope

Anyone who happens to have a slope in their yard knows just how tiring it can be to try and mow it, or keep it maintained. And that's only if you are lucky enough to have a grassy slope. Slopes, while a little more difficult to landscape, do offer all kinds of intriguing opportunities that you can't afford to pass up. Here are a few simple methods that you can use to begin properly landscaping on a slope. Keep in mind that these are only general guidelines, and may not work in your specific case. Before you begin using any of these methods, be sure that you take the time to fully consider and plan out your needs. Once you have done that, then begin to fit these methods to your situation.

• Terraces and baffles. One of the more traditional methods for landscaping on a slope is by using either baffles or terraces. Terraces are, simply put, large "steps" that have been cut into the slope which provide flat areas for you to work with. Baffles are similar, though just smaller on scale. Terraces and baffles can be a great way to divide your yard into areas that can be used for separate purposes. For example, you could have one level be a "play area" for your children, the next could be an entertainment area for you and your friends, while another can be a garden.
• Water features. Why not use the slope to your advantage? By installing a water feature you can create a unique look for your landscape that is the envy of your neighbors. After all, not many people can say that they have a waterfall in their back yard. An added bonus of installing a water feature is that it can actually help prevent erosion by providing a place for run off water to go.
• Wall gardens. A fairly drastic method for landscaping on a slope is to remove the slope, and flatten it all out. This will naturally leave a large retaining wall in place of the slope. Such retaining walls though can be a little ugly to look at. One way that you can deal with this is by planting a wall garden. Plant a garden at the top of the wall, or install some trellises against the wall to help support vines that are planted at the bottom. This will provide a "wall garden" that can be quite beautiful.
• Beware erosion. Regardless of what you do to landscape on a slope, you need to beware of erosion. Erosion can quickly lead even the most beautiful of sloped landscapes to be a mess. Be sure that you have provided proper drainage methods that will allow the rain or run off water to be disposed of without damaging the slope itself.