Sloping back yard, please help!
Nancy Solorio
6 years ago
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Landscaping ideas for a small sloping back yard
Comments (12)If that photo is representative of the area in question, then I'd reconsider using this extremely tight space for "outdoor living". And unless I am missing something, that slope is not very severe. Even if leveled, I doubt this area would be congenial to lounging outdoors or utilizing as a patio, etc. Too exposed and too restrictive and without sufficient space to develop any kind of green privacy screening. I'd consider just a mixed shrub buffer between you and the neighboring property, perhaps with a meandering pathway connecting it to more usable areas of your property. Unless that photo doesn't reveal the true slope of the area, I'd say no terracing or retaining walls are necessary or even practical. Can you post photos of other areas of your garden that may be more conducive to outdoor living/entertaining? I still think this is a situation where engaging a professional for an hour or two can be helpful - it is difficult even from the photo to get a good visual and a true sense of exactly what you are dealing with....See MoreSteep slope in back yard...would love some ideas! (pics included)
Comments (26)Juliann, I'll post a site from the UK that has pictures of various types of gardens. This link goes to their Cottage Garden which they say is "contrived to look uncontrived". There are many other types of gardens there that might provide inspiration. Which plants you choose depends on which climate zone you are in. I'm in zone 3 so am somewhat limited in what I can grow. I'll post a pic of what I call my wild bird garden. It's an area in my large garden that has the birdfeeder and birdbath. I allow the flowers to go to seed for the birds so they self-seed. This area has changed over many years altho I initially seeded shasta daisies (the butterflies love them) and yarrow and planted a few established perennials. The yarrow seeds I planted were a mix of red, pink, and white, but the white resembles the wild yarrow we have so we pull it out and it's mostly now only tones of pinks and red. There are also Lamb's Ears because they seed all over my garden but I leave them in this wild area (the bees love them). There are a few other plants, a pink mallow that's 'weedy' but it fills the space and is quite pretty and we also have several lilacs here. Near that area there is also a drift of common old irises which we've allowed to spread. They are in the lower part of the rockery and I will eventually weed some of them out as the bloom time is not very long. If I were deliberately planting a wildflower garden I would not buy a wildflower mix as there could be invasive plants in it. I planted a mix about 14 years ago and still have Dame Hesperis (Dame's Rocket) altho pull out many every year and try to dead-head them ASAP before they seed. It's quite a weed in warmer climates. I would choose seeds of plants I like that are hardy but not invasive and mix them together. Another option is to plant in swaths with various plants and grasses hardy to your area. Keep in mind the moisture requirements of the plants as you decide. The area where I have shastas, mallow, and yarrow needs little watering and only a spring weeding so is easy care. Here is a link that might be useful: The Garden House...See MoreHELP - disaster sloped back yard
Comments (4)Jeanne, this situation appears to me to be one where you would be best served and receive the most benefit from an onsite visit and discussion with a professional designer/consultant. An online forum, even with input from the few professionals that post here, is just not prepared or qualified to provide the sort of information and assistance you need, even with more detailed photos. Earth movement and grading, drainage and the safe and stable retention of hillsides and slopes are all pretty technical aspects of landscape design that require expertise to address successfully and that is best accomplished by someone with the proper qualifications seeing it in person and with a first-hand familiarity of the location, climate and soil conditions....See MoreCan I level a sloped back yard?
Comments (3)I'm always going to plug finding a local landscape designer, but especially here because we just did a similar project. Every contractor who came in was advocating 8 ft walls and craziness, and we did it with two 30" walls and actually created a stronger transition to get their kid into the wooded area to play. Search for a local pro, there's a button for that above. Even if you DIY it, it'll give you some guidance. To your questions: 1- you'll have a lot more options if you lose the pines, unless you're willing to bring the wall well in front of them. In that case, I don't know how much value you get from the process. 2- it's worth checking with your city or county. There may be specific regs in your area that deal w/ disturbance of soil within XXX feet of a waterway. It may be as simple as you being required to but up silt fence, but cheaper to know in advance. 3- that decision would be site specific (for example, prevailing winds) as well as specific to the type and construction of wall. 4- I've seen plenty of DIY walls. Some are pro quality, some are horrifying, some are in between. Once you control for the variable of relevant experience, it seems to come down to patience, attention to detail, willingness to seek advice, and willingness to see something that went wonky and tear it out and redo. If you've done a brick patio you'll have some of the basic skills for wall building under your belt. You can square up corners, you can level an area, etc. Grading just comes down to only using the biggest tool you can confidently use. I have guys who work for me who can use a bobcat to feather out a nearly perfect finished grade that only needs a bare minimum amount of raking. I'd end up taking out a car-sized chunk of hill, so I need to do it by hand (which is why I'm management). We're in VA so we usethis typical details packet as a starting reference for walls that don't require engineering. Note that if you were to use a segmental retaining wall (as in the interlocking concrete blocks by companies like Techo-Bloc and New Line), most municipalities don't have typical details as in the above. If your wall will require a permit and you use a segmental wall product, you'll need to get an engineer's stamp. You have an interesting project, and I think bringing in a design pro would be hugely helpful. Yard brings up a great point in his comment, that you have a terrific opportunity to create a blend between more structured space and the woods beyond. I'd love to see that developed, for sure....See Morefunctionthenlook
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoNancy Solorio
6 years agoNancy Solorio
6 years agofunctionthenlook
6 years agoSigrid
6 years agoRevolutionary Gardens
6 years agoYardvaark
6 years agoRevolutionary Gardens
6 years agoYardvaark
6 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years agoYardvaark
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agomarshaaa (5b CO, Castle Rock)
6 years ago
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