There are things to know before starting your work. There are two types of slopes: very steep slopes and gentle slopes. The tips that we give you are valid in both cases. It’s the price it will cost you that will make the difference. The steeper the slope, the higher the prices.
Know your land before planning it
Before embarking on this project, call on a landscaper can be useful. He will be able to establish a diagnosis of your land and give you good advice. It is necessary to take into account the slope exposure. A south-facing slope will heat up more and faster than a north-facing slope.
You can select the plants suitable for this exhibition. The thickness of the topsoil is also an important fact. It is indeed the reservoir of nutrients and water.
The stability of the ground is also an important criterion. For plants to settle well, they must be on stable ground. Then their root system limits erosion. A landscaper then calculates the angle of stability of the ground which you will then have to respect. Depending on the nature of the materials, the height difference of the slope and its hold on the ground which are also important criteria, you cannot do everything. It then directs you to the work to be done.
Leave room for reliefs to avoid monotony
Landscaping on a slope is more complex than for a flat garden, but it is more stimulating and the result is sometimes more beautiful. Creativity and imagination make it possible to achieve unique and very aesthetic gardens. Walls, stairs, slabs, Japanese steps… there are plenty of possibilities to enhance this sloping garden. You can also divide the garden into landings which must then be linked together.
The sloping gardens offer the possibility of create different spaces quite easily : a dining area near your home, a play area for children, a more cocooning terrace for reading or discussing, etc.
You will then play with the unevenness and the reliefs and it is a chance. A barbecue, a garden and a bench can have their own little corner. The result can be magical and design if done well.
Garden furniture also plays an important role in the arrangement of the slope.. You thus create pretty relaxation areas by choosing, for example, a wooden or composite floor and wooden furniture to enhance the slope and for a good integration into the natural landscape. Put a few garden deckchairs, a summer kitchen and why not fountains? Everything is possible as long as the result is harmonious.
Do you know ? You can perfectly create a swimming pool on a sloping ground ! It is indeed possible to embed it on one side in the slope and leave it above ground on the other. Aesthetics are guaranteed and the basin blends in perfectly with the decor.
Mulching and natural meadows: perfect for limiting maintenance
Do not hesitate to favor different plants with various sizes, shapes, textures and colors on your sloping land. They just need to be perfectly suited to the terrain and geographic location.
Opt for a 100% grassed land is not recommended, it requires too much maintenance in conditions, sometimes more or less complicated, depending on the slope. Instead, focus on ground cover plants, which can be shrubby or perennial, or create a kind of pretty natural meadow that will bring a bucolic touch full of charm. Then you just have to mow at the end of the season. In addition, these areas are true reservoirs of biodiversity.
Another tip to avoid maintenance overflow : mulching. This is natural and on slopes, choosing it with a fibrous structure, it holds perfectly. On the other hand, mulches that are too round run the risk of falling easily down the slope. Biodegradable mulch sheets are also an option, the only downside: they get damaged very quickly in very humid regions. Synthetic mulch fabrics are then more effective although less ecological.
By following these tips, you make your sloping garden a real little piece of paradise.
Plant the slope!
You should know that the majority of species grow better on sloping ground than on flat ground, surprising, no? Create a very green flower bed that goes up along the embankment to give the illusion of a small path. For pruning and weeding, don’t worry! It is enough to create staircase steps to proceed to their maintenance. If you have a green thumb, know that making a vegetable garden on a slope is quite possible. Ask a gardener for advice who will be able to guide you to the most suitable plantings.
Imagine an original path!
The choice is important in this area: stairs, green wall, separating hedges… Everything is good to formalize the small path which then leads you home. Especially since on this type of ground, you avoid the step of the earthworks, necessary on a flat garden. It is just necessary to carry out the staircase and to plant the vegetation.
Don’t limit yourself and let your desires and your imagination run wild to develop your sloping land and make it a haven of peace, charming and elegant.
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