Ideas For Landscaping a Hill

There are many ideas for landscaping a hill and many considerations that will need your attention before you start. With some prior planning, the finished result can be stunning. Without some prior planning, you could end up with a lot of hard work which results in an impractical area that is difficult to maintain.

The steepness of the hill will be a factor to take into account when deciding what the area is going to be used for. If the area is very steep, then it may be an idea to add some terracing. This will make it much more manageable and will also reduce the chances of landslides. A series of terraces will provide flat land so that some areas can be used for seating. These can be accessed by steps and the whole space can be made to look as formal or natural as desired. If your finances will allow, there are many options available when it comes to terracing ideas for landscaping a hill side garden. Paved areas can be linked by stepped or ramped pathways and it can include some flat flower gardens. If funds are limited, it is possible to take a more rustic approach and leave some of the land natural with just a couple of terraced areas which can be cultivated or used for seating.

If your hill side garden is currently heavily planted with trees, you should be careful if you decide to remove them all. You may find that their roots are a contributing factor to the stability of the slope and their removal may cause much of the soil to make its way to the bottom of the hill. Any of your ideas for landscaping a hill must take this into account and, if you are not going to terrace the area, then it may be wise to keep some of the secure and established root systems in tact. If you do not already have some trees on the hill then it may be wise to consider planting some. Trees planted on a hillside can look stunning as you stand at the top and look over them. If the slope is steep it can give you a real feeling of being amongst the tree tops.

A sloping garden has tremendous potential for anyone with an imagination and good eye. It can be made to look very natural, with areas of wild flowers and possibly even a substantial water feature. It is possible to include a long stream tumbling down the hillside amongst rocks and thoughtfully planted wild flowers. This would obviously depend on the availability of an electricity supply as a good quality pump would need to be included. Such a water feature would have to be one of the first parts of the construction of the garden with other aspects built around it. You would have to carefully plan all of your ideas for landscaping a hill garden prior to undertaking such a large project. The end result, however, could be stunning.

Other considerations are going to have to include the drainage of the area. It goes without saying that top of the hill is going to drain to the bottom so there is no point in putting thirsty plants at the top and cacti at the bottom. The best plan of action is to gather all your ideas for landscaping a hill area together and decide what you want to use the area for. You must decide whether your finished project is going to be formal or rustic, whether you want to include a water feature or if you want to incorporate some terracing.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
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