How to landscape a hill

User

last year

Hire someone ! LOL. sigh sigh…DIY. First went wood chips and grass clippings then wait months til I I got my fence.

Get 2 cu yards ( 2 tons) of top soil

Scavenge cardboard boxes as curb finds

Wet earth

Lay cardboard , wind removes… repeat . repeat

Anchor cardboard with stakes and bricks

Wet cardboard

Spread top soil one shovel full at a time

Wet some more… repeat

Each fence section is 6 ft. Going to do one more for 42 ft today.

Will do last 42 ft Wednesday . Will water and add more stuff through Fall and plant in the Spring.

almost done for today

Wednesday’s project

The rest of the soil I will wheelbarrow around the yard filling low places. May need another 2 tons .

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l pinkmountain

last year

last modified: last year

So, for one split rail gal to another, what are you planning on planting along the fence?

I have some black raspberries waiting, but I'm not sure about what else yet. I sort of plan on some red white and blue flowering pollinator-friendly, low growing perennials in front, but not sure about the sides, they need something connecting them to the shrubs to the left and right, but an access path to the generator, which is what this whole project is covering up . . .

I always dreamed of having a split rail with red shrub roses along it. I used to pass by a property like that when I lived out east.

Edited to add that I guess that is not technically a split rail fence. It is one heckuva gorgeous fence though!

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Comments (18)

cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
last year
What a great start. What are you planning to plant there?
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Jilly
last year
That’s a LOT of backbreaking work, but it sure looks like a great base. How many times I’ve tried to take the easy way out on hills and slopes, and it ended up costing way more money and labor when I had to remedy it later. You inspire me. :)

The fence looks so good!
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To gain a real idea as to the costs of your proposal, you should probably start with an excavation contractor and get an estimate. You need a licensed professional with experience and appropriate equipment (and insurance!). He/she will be doing a major portion of your work: dirt removal and then reconstruction of your yard and driveway to be sure proper drainage is maintained. Will existing infrastructure (buried utility/phone lines, water and sewer lines, etc.) need to be moved? You'll have to pay for that and that ain't cheap. I believe if I decided to do that at my house, I'd have to hire the owner of the specific line, for example, A.T.&T., to do the work. Advice from a structural engineer would be valuable first to make sure that removal of the dirt will not compromise the integrity of your house's foundation. You'll need someone with construction/basement knowledge to seal the to-be-exposed concrete foundation and to cut new window holes. And someone to install new windows. Then a concrete contractor to rebuild your driveway/sidewalk/other new things you might decide you want. And a landscaper to design/install new plantings. Oh! And you mentioned removal of a large tree. In my area, removal of a large tree costs $2,000. And that's just what's above ground. Will you need roots removed too? Others might know: would advice/permissions be required from your municipality because of the change in the grade of the yard (which may affect runoff both into nearby municipal-owned and privately-owned properties)? Obviously I don't what any of these services would cost you in a major city in Canada.
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It is impossible to keep critters from passing through a planted bed, but so long as you don't cultivate plants that pile up thickly with plant debris, they would not be inclined to make it a home. I hope it is just camera tricks, but the walk at the back of house appears to be sloping toward the house. If true, that would be worth fixing, as surely, a large amount of water will come off the hill at some point. At the end of the flumes, it appear that gravel is piled above the flume outfall height. This is going to create somewhat of a dam. It will drain out at the end of a storm but will hold some height of water during a storm when there is heavy flow. I would plan to be out there with an umbrella observing exactly what's happening in order to know if something needs attention. Do you need to be careful of wildfires? If so, see if the local municipality has a list of recommended groundcovers. Do you need shade at that side of the house? Some tree forms along the hillside would help hold the soil in place while not blocking the view. The steps to the top (nice wide ones) sound like a great addition if there can be a special viewing spot created there. What flanks your property on the other side of the hill? As one example, a tall bamboo forest (such as Oldhamii) with groundcover below, would look great. It looks like you have enough room at the end of the house for a more or less linear patio. One with some boulders could look nice.
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Hi Mary, can you share your zone and general locale? If the budget allows, placing a good sized boulder and two medium ones into the hill would give you something to work with and provide a nice foundation for any other plantings. It would, however require professional install. Can you let the area furthest from the house return to a woodland state? If so, pick a few native trees. They will anchor the soil.
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l pinkmountain
last year
Well I'm not going to feel sorry for myself with my job anymore! Looks great so far!

I have literally a garage full of cardboard boxes waiting on me to find a mulch supplier who will deliver to my suburban lot.
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User
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thank you! Drought and cold resistant. I dont have time to baby anything. What is out front on the slope is tried and true so will divide a lot. Stupid Houzz has kicked out 2x my post. Will save and add pics after. it refuses to let me post pics. will try later.

Sedums for ground cover

Dwarf plumbago more Sedum, Fall crocus

Grasses - Karl Forrester and lots of others

Can’t remember but these are durable
Tina Marie
last year
last modified: last year
We had topsoil delivered a while back for a project. Now, like you, what we have left is for those low places. It is work!
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Re Tired
last year
If you're a member, Costco is a great source for boxes.
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User
Original Author
last year
@Re Tired- no Costco out here! We have a florist shop a block away and I can get a dozen long boxes every day. I like them very sturdy and perfect size for between posts.
Gargamel
last year
last modified: last year
Wow! That is very impressive! Nice fence too
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OutsidePlaying
last year
Impressive amount of work, C. The fence looks nice, and you are doing great with the cardboard and topsoil. Love what you have planned to plant.
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User
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I have had great luck with layering with cardboard and grass clippings and leaves and kitchen compost scraps. will see how this does.the soil on the hill is beautiful after we had all the privet and weeds cleared. There hasn’t been anything grown on it in at least 50 yrs judging from pictures. A PO had lots of chickens 25 yrs ago in what we have as the music studio we will see . Thank you everyone. c
arcy_gw
last year
We redid our split rail last fall. DH purchased an auger bit to help dig the holes which I then used to plant bulbs. I would be splitting and planting some now. Many of the plants you mentioned do well with fall planting.
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User
Original Author
last year
The hill isn’t ready for planting yet. And we are having a really dry Fall . Would require too much babying of the transplants. Your gardens are stunning. c
Annie Deighnaugh
last year
Wow! I'm so impressed! That is a TON of work! You go, girl!!
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User
Original Author
last year
@Annie Deighnaugh actually it is 2 Tons of work 😂😬❤️
Feathers11
last year
Nice, Trail! That's a great inspiration to stay in shape. I enjoy (?) or at least don't mind that type of yard work. Makes me feel resilient.

Is your last photo of the durable plant with pink/purpley flowers perhaps 4 o'clocks? My grandmother and now my aunt have those. My aunt gave me some seeds to try. But I planted them too late, and they didn't take off.
User thanked Feathers11
User
Original Author
last year
Yes that’s the one and then the other is something else she gave me. I never remember.

I love to work out whether it’s gardening with a shovel and mattock or lifting weights or cycling… anything active. I started lifting 40 years ago this Thanksgiving and have it in my blood I guess. Wish you were closer! We could plant together . 🙏
Gargamel
last year
To me there is nothing more fabulous than getting exercise doing something I love to do anyway

How to landscape a hill

l pinkmountain

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cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)

Jilly

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