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You’ve purchased your first home and now you’re wondering how to landscape on a slope. Even though your yard slopes, it doesn’t mean you are limited with landscaping designs. It just means getting a little more creative. Or, thinking about landscaping in a different way. In today’s blog, we present our top 7 landscaping designs for sloped yards. We hope that you draw inspiration from them and can’t wait to see what you create. So, grab your tools and let’s dive in!
Split your hillside gardens in half by a walkway
If your garden cascades down a steep hillside, you can break it up by cutting in a set of stairs. Add stairs down the middle of the slope and create garden beds on each side. Cutting in the set of stairs allows you to maintain your gardens without the added pressure of the slope. The stairs also provide access to different parts of the garden bed and create a more uniformed look.
Break up the sloped landscape with grassed pathways
If used correctly, grassed pathways on a sloping yard can help to break up the landscape. Doing this will give you time to stop and go for a stroll through your terraced gardens. It will also give you time to reflect on your projects and admire their beauty. Traveling down a sloped yard can sometimes be a little tiring. Breaking up your terraced gardens with spots for rest will help give you a good blend of beauty and comfort.
Take advantage of low-growing ground covers for steep slopes
Sometimes a slope is just too steep to do much with. It also might be an area that you are afraid might be prone to erosion. There is a simple solution for this and that’s ground covers. Low-growing ground covers help to keep the soil in place. They can also add a lot of colour to a sloped landscape. Ground covers are a great low maintenance option if you want to plant and forget it. Ground covers that you might consider are creeping phlox, creeping thyme, periwinkle, or lamium. Before you plant, check your growing zone and conditions.
Add a downhill water feature
Yards often have to be built up to create water features which can be quite costly. Why not take advantage of your already sloping yard? Yards that are sloped are perfect for adding in a waterfall feature. The water will naturally flow downhill. It is also a great way to get more enjoyment out of an otherwise unusable space in your yard. Pair it with some tropical plants, and you have the perfect backyard oasis to sit back and unwind.
Use large stone slabs as steps for a more natural look and feel
Are you looking to create a more natural feel to your sloped yard? Large stone slabs stacked on one another can give you this vibe. You will also get the benefit of a pathway to take you to different parts of your sloped yard. Stone slabs as steps will be a slightly more costly option, but paired with the right plants will allow you to be one with nature. If your aesthetic is a natural, homey vibe, give stone slab steps a try. Who knows, it might just become the favourite feature of your yard!
Use plants of differing heights, colours, and textures
Gardening on slopes gives the opportunity to let your creative juices fly. Have fun and play around with different heights and textures. The natural slope of your yard will force you to think outside the box. The possibilities are endless here. Mixing in different plants will allow you to create different colour combinations. Add in some shrubs, perennials and annuals for interest throughout the different seasons.
Add in boulders for interest and stability
Another low maintenance option for gardening on a slope is to add in some natural boulders. Boulders will help to add interest in the garden. They also serve a practical purpose of helping to hold soil in place. You can plant low-growing ground covers around them to help fill in. This will give you the practical benefit of keeping the slope intact from erosion. And, you will also have the benefit of breaking up the landscape in a more natural way.
Final thoughts on landscaping for sloped yards
If you’ve been tossing and turning over how to garden on a slope, you’ve come to the right place. Today’s blog is full of inspiring landscape designs to help you turn your sloped yard into something elegant and chic. Have a favourite landscaping design that you’ve used on a slope? We’d love to hear all about it. Drop a comment below or share your thoughts on our social media pages. Let’s help inspire other gardeners to get creative with their sloped yards and gardens!
Iam in zone three Have a sloped yard along a rive It is sunny slope facing east and is very very dry What would you suggest for plants and how many to put together in a location vertical or horizontal The slope is 18 ft wide by 90 ft facing east Thank you
Great question Colleen! For a dry, sunny, east-facing slope in zone 3, you’ll want plants that love the sun and can handle drought! Here are some ideas. Ground covers like Creeping Thyme or Sedum (Stonecrop) are perfect for filling in gaps and holding the soil together. Perennials like Echinacea (Coneflower) and Liatris (Blazing Star) add color and attract pollinators. For structure, you could plant shrubs like Creeping Juniper or Potentilla—they’re tough and drought-tolerant. Small trees like Amur Maple would work well for some vertical interest! For layout, try grouping plants vertically—taller ones like shrubs at the top of the slope, and ground covers at the bottom. This helps with erosion. Plant ground covers close together (2–3 per sq. ft.), space perennials 1–2 feet apart, and shrubs 4–6 feet apart. 🌿🌼 Hope this helps! 😊
Thanks for the interesting article