Landscaping ideas for sloped front yard

18 years ago

Hello all,

As you can see from the attached picture, my front yard is a huge slope and is, as you can imagine, a real treat to mow. We are wanting to plant some sort of ground cover on about the top 1/3 and accent with other plants, but we have no idea how to shape the bed or what plants to use. It gets morning to mid-afternoon sun. Those are burning bushes that are planted in front of the house. At the time we didn't know that they lost their leaves, so you can imagine how great our house looked last winter. Those do not have to stay.

Any ideas or pictures of similar projects that you've undertaken would be VERY much appreciated! (We're going to aerate and seed our lawn, so please overlook that!)

Image link:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

shadylainie
18 years ago
Daylillies grow well on slopes as do carpet roses, junipers and creeping gardenia. It may alway be difficult to grow grass. terracing is also a good way change it.
meledward23
18 years ago
Ahh yes the challenge a front yard like that.

Well, I have many different ideas. I dream of being able to landscape with a hill like that. I find slopes that angle down and towards the viewer present such a vast array of opportunities for the landscaper and gardener.

Budget would be my first point of concern. Working on a hillside can get expensive. Becuase any terracing or grading is a project in an of itself.

But if it were my yard.... I would start off with about 3 small rock terraces. I would NOT run a straigh line across the yard and make a short wall (IE what a typical terrace invokes in most peoples mind). I would do a small semi circle wall say about a 5 radius in near proximity to where the steps level out and go near the garage. I would terrace out a small area and us a punch accent tree/shrub with small ground cover.

I would probably go with a smaller serpenting wall near the top. about half way down I would try and do the most difficult part of the project and cut in a few small medium/ large boulders for a rock outcropping (particullarly effective fromthe Middle TN plateu east). Finally at the bottom I would do another small stone wall. If I were real adventurous would probably add a small pond / water fall at the rock out cropping. Since I would be more interested in the moving water than standing water, I would go cheap, such as getting a couple 55 gallon drums and burying them or a Water Trough from TSC (Tractor Supl company) to catch the water, using a big pump to push it up the hill and have a high flow rate.

All of this work would be trying on the hills side. Take some time. Probably require some professional assistance / advice depending on your involvement level etc....

Naturallly I will answer any questions you might have. Of course you have a plethera of planting choices nad I have just as many ideas, but it depends on your tastes and interests. Well so does the rock work.
Related Discussions
Landscape ideas to improve front yard of split level home
Q
Comments (14)
A couple of notes: - You don’t actually want to plant as densely or as close to the walk as in Doug’s sketch or in three years you will need to do a lot of pruning and in 5 or 8 you will be ripping out plants and starting all over again with many of them. Add large pots or a birdbath or art or annuals while you wait for some of your woody plants to put on size. - Whatever you plant needs to be sized appropriately for it ultimate growth. Plant tags often give plant sizes at an unrealistic 5 years, so be sure to look up on a reputable website such as the Missouri Botanic Garden’s Plantfinder to find the actual expected size. - You have a big overhang that creates a rain shadow that will always be dry without irrigation. Be sure to plan on irrigation for anything within that rain shadow. Regardless, don’t plant anything so close that it will grow to within a foot or so of the house. - Wider steps are great to make a welcoming entry. - Notice in both sketches that the plants in front of the windows are lower with taller plants framing it or placed further down the slope to not block the windows. - Plan to have some of your plants evergreen for a winter presence and some with either colored foliage or flowers for interest. - Sod or hydro seed the lawn at the appropriate time of year for your area which may be now.
...See More
Front yard landscaping on steep slopes
Q
Comments (1)
A Carolina cherry laurel would be fairly fast growing and make good visual insulation between the two houses. Add all those other plants at your pleasure, allowing enough space for the screening tree's spread.
...See More
Front yard garden on slope ideas?
Q
Comments (7)
@CA Kate, I have to respond making the presumption that applicators of herbicide use proper techniques and follow manufacturers instructions. If an applicator doesn't, there's no telling the possibilities that can occur. There are methods to control drift, including waiting for a less windy day if that's what is needed. If a neighbor doesn't control their herbicide application, there will be evidence and one must get after them about it ... like any other neighbor dispute. But to presume that drift will happen, when it may never happen, is to short-circuit all manner of possibilities. I never said drift is impossible. But one can't presume it is guaranteed or a unavoidable. Nicole, there's nothing particularly difficult about preparing a simple base plan that shows the walk, drive, curb, house footprint and maybe a few tree trunks, which would have everyone understanding the space. More than likely you have a plan you can trace in your home closing documents. Some people enlarge a google earth drawing to use for making a base plan. If you rely on some locals and think that just by throwing some money at them, you'll end up with something wonderful .... well, that's a crap shoot. Be sure to investigate samples of their DESIGN work to see if it is what you like.
...See More
Landscape ideas for sloping yard.
Q
Comments (12)
TJ, Yes we can get water down there while being established. I do think anything we do will require us to remove the grass/weeds along the edge won’t it? I like hydrangea and lilacs. I don’t think a hedge would work because of the slope across the yard but could certainly incorporate them into a grouping. True I don’t want anything to large to impact the view... but we are on a ledge and the “shrub” on the other side is actually a tree. I’m sorry Pictures aren’t giving the best perspective here. Christopher, I can look into that for close along to the road. Im mostly interested though in what to have to give some visual interest from the house. I suppose we could leave natural along the road if we have something to define the edge from the yard.
...See More
vivivan1
18 years ago
Hi, I came across your landscape problem while doing research on my own sloped yard. I have read the suggestions and wondered if you have used any and how it was going? Hind site being 20/20, I would have thought twice about buying a home on such a "lovely" lot. Thanks!
Kelli Tucker Campbell
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Vivian,

We met with a landscape designer but decided to install everything ourselves (in stages) because he was so expensive! Needless to say, we haven't done anything yet but plan to within the next couple of months. Here's what we're going to do:
-Plant two Emerald Green Arborvitae where the vinyl siding meets the brick and toward the right side of the house.
-Move the existing Burning Bushes in between the two Arborvitae.
-Plant Otto Luyken Laurels in front of the Arborvitae and Burning Bushes.
-In the vinyl siding section, plant some Skip Laurel.
-Put the existing holly bushes in front of the Skip Laurels.
-Down the left side of the yard, plant some Firepower Nandinas.
-Beside the Nandinas, plant some Vinca.
-Beside the existing Azalea, plant a Japanese Maple that is circled by Liriope.
-Finally, plant a big, sweeping bed of English Ivy that extends about 10 feet from the front line of shrubs.

I'm sure it's difficult to imagine what this would look like, but I hope it helps!
iphone
14 years ago
My soil is full of clay and I need something to grow in the shade. Thanks!

Landscaping ideas for sloped front yard

Comments (5)

shadylainie

meledward23

Related Discussions

vivivan1

Kelli Tucker Campbell
Original Author

iphone

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Landscaping ideas for sloped front yard

Comments (5)

shadylainie

meledward23

Related Discussions

vivivan1

Kelli Tucker CampbellOriginal Author

iphone

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Kelli Tucker Campbell
Original Author