How To Make The Most Of A Sloped Garden

Sloped gardens can present certain problems. You may not be able to position garden furniture without it falling over, certain plants may struggle to grow and you could find that water collects at the bottom of the slope resulting in flooding.

Fortunately, you needn’t have to be restricted by these problems. Below are just several ways to make the most of a sloped garden.

 Level it out

 If your garden isn’t flat, you can make it flat by leveling it out. While this might seem like the easy solution, leveling out a garden can cause problems of its own. The foundations of your home may be affected, which could lead to subsidence – making this not always the most ideal option.

When leveling out your garden, always seek out professional advice. The job could take a lot of time and money, particularly if you’re leveling out a garden with a steeper gradient.

 Create a terraced garden

 Creating a terraced garden involves leveling out sections. This can often be less disruptive than leveling out your entire garden and you have the option to do it in stages.

Each terrace could be turned into a separate zone. This could include a patio or gravel social section for placing garden furniture, a lawn section, and possibly a vegetable patch section. You can connect these terraces with steps. It’s recommended placing a social area at the top where the water is likely to run off and a vegetable patch at the bottom to soak up the water.

 Build a decked area

 If you need a flat area for placing garden furniture, a raised deck could be just the solution. A raised deck is much more affordable and less effort than a raised patio as it can be constructed on top of posts.

Companies like Delaware Deck Builders are able to help you design a custom deck suited to your garden. Make sure to look into planning permission before you start any construction work on your decking.

 Opt for slope-suitable plants

 Slopes have a tendency to dry out and erode, which can make growing many types of plants on them difficult. However, there are certain types of plants that can thrive on a slope.

Hardy perennials such as day-lilies, violets, and roses are some examples of plants that can grow on a slope. You’ll need to give them a bit of TLC at first, but once they’ve fully taken root they shouldn’t need much work at all.

Japanese yew, creeping juniper, and burning bush are other plants that can thrive on a hillside. These could be worth adding if you want some larger shrubs. One critical advantage is that shrubs are ideal for controlling erosion, especially on hillsides. While a sloped garden holds aesthetic value, it has certain undesirable effects that may discourage you from making the most of the space when it rains. Before buying your shrubs from a trusted source, remember to ask which ones have shallow or deep roots and are ideal for a sloped garden.

Certain grasses like little blue-stem and switch-grass are likely better suited to a sloped garden than conventional grasses. Don’t expect to maintain a sloped lawn with perfect stripes – these grasses look their best when they’re a little rugged.

For more information on choosing plants for slopes, check out this guide at Gardening Know How.