Such a cute house!! I have never used a tiller and I feel your pain when you say dig it all up. Uggg I dug up a 4x 7 foot bed earlier this year oh my word you have much more than that there. If you decide to dig do it after a good solid rain so that its easy for a shovel to go through.

If you till (I remember my father tilling a garden when i was little) it would probaly help with the breaking of the grass, but then you will still have to rake it to get the grass runners out.

I am clueless about a lasagna garden so I wont touch that.

As for the plastic I would be concerned with the grass runners making their way to the plants and growing on top of the plastic in the mulch. I can not tell what kind of grass you have there but if its bermuda I would say plastic will not stop bermuda runners.

My opinion with the area you have I would say till it and rake her out. Granted its alot of work at first but arent all new beds alot of work the first couple of years.

What cute ghosts! :)

Why don't you do something like newyorkrita has done? She has terraced her yard and you could, too. You may want to keep a portion of the grass on the top terrace, then put flower beds in the lower portions (or not, if you hate to mow).

Anyway, I am attaching a post that shows pictures of her yard. You could do this same thing with those stacking blocks. Of course, it would be hard work but would cure your steep slope problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: newyorkrita's terraced garden

You seemed to have analyzed your options well. Any exposed soil would erode until you got something growing again. Even mulch might not stay in place in a hard rain.

I agree with holleygarden that terraces would be a good solution. With that steep of a slope, you probably should have a soil engineer look at your plan to be sure you build the retaining walls correctly . . . i.e. safely.

Something like this maybe taking soil away in the red areas and adding it in the green:

Did you see this recent thread:

Here is a link that might be useful: another front yard with terraces

Hi Scully, first off I really love your house. If your slope is as steep as it looks one option would be to terrace it. You could do one level at a time, not so overwhelming that way. The link below shows one version of a terraced slope, this one has steps cut in which you wouldn't have to do if you didn't want to.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Terraced Slope

I got called away while typing my response, after posting I saw others had responded. After reading them what can I say other than great minds think alike LOL.

Annette

Thanks SO much for the suggestions and links. They certainly did a beautiful job with those gardens.

My only concerns are a.) I have to do it all myself. b.)The area goes far beyond what you see in the picture. I'm not sure how it would work to do a terrace because I don't know when I would stop the stones. (See pic below.) c.) I just know it would be disaster! haha.

I don't mean to be a wimp, but I honestly think I would fail at that terrace idea. I always think it looks pretty when others do it, but the idea of buying all that stone, hauling it up the hill by myself, digging the trenches for it and setting it without it collapsing... I don't know. I'm a little worried about that. Plus, I'm not really sure I can afford all those stones at the moment. It's certainly something I'll give some more thought to.

So, the main problems with my idea about the plastic and mulch is that it might not contain all the grass? I mean, is that the worse that could happen?

These pictures better show the slope of the hill and the amount of land. I know I can't do it all this year! That's why I was wondering about doing one section at a time.

Thanks again for any further advice or thoughts!

There's nothing wrong with you doing it a little at a time, that's what I have had to do with my yard. But I agree with everyone else that terracing is probably your best option. You already have a berm that could be turned into one terrace pretty easily then you could do more layers over time.

Lots and lots of constructive staring required for this project. You don't want to rush into disturbing the soil because heavy rains will start small grand canyons.

I think I would lay out a series of switchback paths following the contours of the slope and start small with narrow lasagna beds from the bottom up. As the plantings in the lasagna beds grow, more lasagna to widen each bed.

You might devise a line of stakes and landscape timbers to hold your paper and mulch in place on the slope until the lasanga is 'done.' Where you need to dig a bit to flatten areas on the slope, the soil can be added back to the lasagna bed. A do-it-yourself project often requires a certain amount of waiting and enduring less-than-attractive stages. The snows of winter might be your friend here.

I'm reluctant to suggest plants for zone 6, but Kerria japonica is a shrub that weeps over a slope just beautifully. Hardy to zone 5, Gldno planted one in her zone 6 garden, so it is appropriate.

Read carefully all newyorkrita's posts where she talks about her slopes and how she planned and planted them. Daylilies have very fleshy roots that help hold soil on slopes.

There is a member of this Forum who planted a very steep slope and posted great photos. I don't remember her name, but I do remember that she used some flat junipers among other plants and had parallel paths. Maybe somebody will remember who she is.

Also, did you see the photos of thyme2dig's front garden?

Nell

I agree with the idea of terraces and I agree that, on your own, it is a daunting and overwhelming task. Are there any high school or college students in your neighborhood who could do some of the grunt work for/with you? Also, a community college or vocational high school may even have courses/degree programs and would welcome the chance to give their students experience if you provide the materials (much like dental schools at universities that provide discounted services, but mistakes in landscaping aren't as scary!). I think that might be worth checking into before you make a final decision. Also, love your house-very cute-and your ghosts are fabulous. What fun! Cynthia

I agree with foxesearth that you need to proceed cautiously. The grass is holding up the soil now, and you don't want to plant things that won't hold it.

Personally, I would not do the plastic and mulch thing. First of all, you can't plant in plastic, the mulch does not amend the soil with plastic under it, and it looks to me that the mulch would just wash away in a rain on those slopes.

If terracing is too much for you to consider, then perhaps you could replace your grass with something like thyme (not sure what grows in your area) on the slopes, and plant flowers on the more level areas. Just make sure you don't get anything invasive. To remove the grass easily, rent a sod cutter (if you think you can handle it on a slope). Perhaps you can do this when you have a dry season (and just water the new plantings). You would just need to make sure you can retain the soil.

Yikes! I haven't seen hills like that since I lived in Pittsburgh.

Nell's right about not rushing into anything. If you're doing it yourself, this could easily be a multi-year project. Spend a couple of months (or the winter) thinking about what you'd like your property to look like eventually, then draw up a plan.

After that, the hard part is forcing yourself to ignore everything else while you focus on one area at a time. (I'd start with the steepest slopes first, to eliminate the most difficult mowing.) Finish the soil moving, wall building--if that's to be part of it--planting & mulching in a small area first, before staring on the next. All the while, keeping your eye on the master plan. That's probably the only way to prevent massive erosion.

I've spent the past 2-1/2 years doing over my very small front yard. I'm not finished yet and I don't have slopes to deal with. But I'm a couple of years closer to being finished than I would be if I hadn't started when I did.

Good luck!

Wow, the second pictures you posted show how really steep that hill is yeah if you were to till that steep the rain will just wash it out.

I wonder if you could get something like a ground cover thats a dense evergreen like english ivy or purple wintercreeper and plant it sporatically on that top hill if it would finally over take the grass. Both of those ground covers are invasive but if I had that hill I would tend to lean to something invasive. Just a thought!!

More great thoughts! See? This is why I posted here. :-)

What I like is that, even if I can't use one idea for whatever reason it makes me think about something else or how to avoid a potential problem.

Treelover - I AM in Pittsburgh. haha. My area has the word "Hills" in it, surprise.

Carolyn - you posted kind of what I was wondering about. Slowly planting until the grass is just taken over or there is enough planted that digging the rest isn't so daunting. I use the weedwacker on that hill instead of the mower anyway, so going around plants isn't that big of a deal.

How does that sound as far as erosion countrol goes? I love thyme! I have it all over my steps leading down to level 3 of the yard. (Luckily, I do have a flat area in the back of my house.)

While I really DO agree terracing is best, and will certaihnly continue to think about how I would go about it, does the idea of slowly planting (including some invasive ground cover) sound like a bad idea?

Can't thank you all enough for your good ideas! :-)

Wow, the last pics give us more of a picture of what you're dealing with, I think Nell's advice is dead on.

Annette

I would not till that, and I would not remove that grass.

Tilling will bring millions and millions and cazillions of grass/weed seeds to the top, where they will germinate with abandon once they have light! You could have a worse situation than what you have!

I would round it up with a spray on herbicide. I know- the chemicals. But they (the chemicals) won't stay in the ground, you can plant right on top of it, and leaving the dead grass roots in place will protect your soil from eroding before you get a good planting going.

I would use RoundUp on the areas that you want to plant now, while it is hot. You can get it in a 1 gallon container that is ready to use, and will show progress in just a few hours. (The ready-to-use is much more effective that what you mix.) You can leave pathways of grass, and will still be able to get in the garden in times when it rains. I am assuming that y'all are getting rain, and are not in a drought situation.

Plants have to take the RoundUp in via the leaves, which send it to the roots for it to do damage to a plant. You can pour it on roots and it will not harm your plants. I swear this is true.

As long as the chemical is not in my vegetable garden, I will use it, although it is not often that we do need it.

You could still do the terracing, and I think that is a wonderful idea, but you can do it in stages, if that is what is best for you.

Good Luck! (and be sure to post pictures.)

Janie

Blue rug juniper really works in a situation like yours. It is low growing, evergreen, and stays put even on a steep slope. You hit it with the weed whacker once a year. A bonus is that you won't mind killing it if you decide to do something else in a few years.

I see some steep slopes here (but not as big as yours) where they have creeping groundcover instead of grass so they don't have to mow.
It may be that native plants will provide better erosion control than imports. Is there a county or govt or extension office that might have advice for your area?
I have a vague idea that maybe you should put in big things first (trees & shrubs) while the grass is there. But nothing too shady as that will discourage other plants.
Random googling link below

Here is a link that might be useful: design dilemmas garden slope

Weighing in on the backside here ...... I totally agree w/the terracing as explained above. Yipes, lots of heavy lifting - I sure couldn't do it.

Looking outside of the curve, and not knowing where you are, consider this. Any community /full grad colleges w/agri courses nearby - or even high schools w/agri courses - last possibility is county extension services (that's a real wild card) w/manpower ?? I'd explore them all.

A project such as yours might just be a prime candidate for students on many levels. If there are any takers, you should have ability to determine $$$ cost of materials, but labor is the biggie. If you can dovetail w/a learning thing ..... it just might work to your advantage.

Just a late night thought .........

The plants I mentioned along with the juniper all help with soil erosion. I think they have all been used on steep hills to prevent erosion. I am not sure about creeping thyme, I would tend to lean to something evergreen. That way in the winter you want have a hill of dead. Carpet phlox is an evergreen and it blooms profusely in the spring and there are alot of colors also, erosion control I am not sure on that one though. If I am not mistaken the purple wintergreen has berries for the birds in the fall, its a seasonal intrest ground cover.

I dont know if it would work but it would be something I would probaly try what the heck as the groundcover spreads if it doesnt cut through the grass I wonder if you can just dig areas around it till it spread to fill it. My mind has an idea but putting into words isnt the greatest.

Ps. i can not stand a weed wacker shoot I couldnt imagine weed wacking an entire yard uggg I dont know which one is worse digging or weed eating lol.

Digging is worse on that hill. The lesser of two evils, Carolyn.

I think for now, I'm going to try just planting the area in front of my house. Probably not taking all the grass up just yet, but I got quite a few perennials on sale today, so I can start there. Thyme seems to be gone for now, but I'll load up in the spring.

I got online just yesterday thinking it would definately be a lasagna garden (I had the wrong idea about how to do it and thought it would work) and ended up going a completely different direction. (Less expensive in the short haul too.)

I'll post pictures after I put in the plants tomorrow. I think I have so many, but once they're in it will probably look quite sparse. Especially since they are all quite straggly right now.

Oh, and if it gets as hot as they say, pictures might be coming later in the week. :P

Lots of really good ideas here from everyone. I love looking at all the terraced yards. Maybe you could do a wrap around terrace or two at the top level for now and plant a groundcover to cover the lower slopes so you don't have to mow. The terrace could wrap from across the front to the back left side of the house. Then later on, if you still want more terraces you could add those as time and money allow. I grew up on a very steeply sloped yard and my father was forever building walls and creating terraces. On the very steepest slope they just planted English ivy. He would run the lawnmover over it once a year when it started to get unruly. He and mother made a lovely garden over the years. You don't have to do it all at once for it to work.

Another idea -- You could start with planning steps going up the hill (using railroad ties or timbers or step stones). The steps don't need to go straight up -- curves or a zigzag would give you natural places to put in small beds (like a landing).
Maybe later on those landing areas would define where the terraces could go, while the step parts define groundcover.

I just realized there is a Hillside Gardening forum here -- have you checked it out?

I garden on 3 country acres that have lots of sloped spots. We have worked with what was there and have not terraced. We have put in two sets of stairs on our steep
slope (like yours but wider and shorter from top to bottom).
One set of steps is brick and 3 ft. cement pavers: the other is a wooden staircase with a landing and change of
direction. (Wet wood can be slick).

I can't say enough good things about groundcovers and I am
happy with some that smaller, flatter gardens do not need.

1.First I would push yellow Archangel--Lamiastrum galeobdolon- green and silver foliage with yellow May blooms. It looks wonderful with daffodills or other spring bulbs pushing up through it. Part to full shade. I got mine free at a Community plant exchange years ago. It took on a steep slope like yours that was covered with poison ivy, tree of heaven and nettles!!
2. Lamiastrum Herman's pride-- less aggressive.-same colors
3. Lamium--I have White Nancy, and Beacon Silver--part shade. There are other colors.
4. Vinca--It sort of just comes. When it comes with gift plant or appears in my perennial border, I always have a needy place to put it. Can be sheared. Shade
5. Lysimachia nummularia--Creeping Jenny. The golden form
is sold for ground cover or container planting. The green
form comes around here by itself where ground is moist. Both can be useful.Sun or shade.
6. Ajuga--any and all. Bronze/purple ones are good for color contrasting with burgundy foliaged stuff.
7. Waldensia--Barren Strawberry--mostly a weed but an interesting one for smaller space carpeting. Yellow flowers, red no-edible "strawberries"
8. Ferns
9. Violets--weeds in perennial border, welcome on hills.

On West-facing slope with 4-6+ hours sun.(4th year)
1. clumps of ornamental grass across top of hill. Need shearing in spring. 3 clumps of grasses on slope. Tricky
to shear in spring but very helpful in look, either from
distance or from windows above.
2. Swaths of black-eyed susans (near base of slope)
3.Swaths of cluster bell flower (near base)
4. Common purple cone-flower--swath slanting up hill.
5. Meadow sage (half up)
6. Yarrow gold plate(Near grasses at top of hill
7. Ox-eye daisy--near base
8. Gooseneck lysimachia (this has not done very well because soil is too dry to encourage it much.

In addition, without my interference, dry land forget me nots, columbine, vernonia, perennial yellow foxglove, and ladybells have "come". Some live in other parts of property.

Some of these are not technically groundcovers but they increase by root and self-seeding, can be left with seeds to attract birds, can be weed-whipped.

It's been some work to establish but each year gets easier.

GrandmaChris, what a wonderful list of plants. The one that really caught my eye is the creeping jenny. I have had it in one of my gardens for three years now and that single little plant and spread and provided starts for four other gardens. I should really move some out to the hill.

I have a hillside going up from the driveway. I started with spreading juniper and creeping phlox along the base and planted day lilies and various other things up the rest of the hill. I did it by just digging in the plants year after year. Now it is so full, I am starting to thin things out.