Landscaping Steep Slope

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Hillside Landscaping

A landscaping steep slope can be a challenge for some homeowners, but as a landscape designer I love to work with elevation. If you don’t tackle steep slope hillside landscaping you will have erosion problems, especially in the rainy season. However, if you tackle a steep slope as a DIY project you can end up with time and money wasted, so before you begin, plan and do your homework first.

For landscaping steep slope hill you will need to put in a retaining wall to keep the hill solid and to be able to retain rainfall and avoid erosion. The slope can be beautiful and interesting if you plan carefully, and it can also add value to your property.

These are some options and tips for landscaping a steep slope:

Build a terraced hill
Make retaining walls
Build planters
Plant erosion controlling plants and mix with native plants
Make sure the top of the wall will be higher than the soil level behind it to prevent mud and any liability in case of a landslide
Have a curved pathway or paved steps going up the steep hill for access
Plant big trees downward of the slope to prevent erosion

When selecting plants for erosion control for hillside landscaping it is important to use fast growing plants that have root systems that will hold the soil in place. Heavy plants are not a good choice for the steep slope because their dense foliage can contribute to slope erosion.

Here are some great groundcover plants that prevent erosion and beautify a sloping hillside:

Ceanothus griseus horizontalis, Carmel Creeper
Cotoneaster dammeri, Bearberry Cotoneaster
Baccharis pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’, Coyote Bush
Artemisia californica ‘Canyon Gray’, Canyon Gray Sagebrush
Carissa macrocarpa ‘Prostrata’, Ground Cover Natal Plum (also fire resistant)
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Dwarf Plumbago (also as lawn substitute)
Lantana montevidensis Lavender Swirl TM, Lavender Swirl TM Lantana (lawn substitute, fire resistant)
Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’, Prostrate Rosemary (fire resistant)
Arctostaphylos ‘Emerald Carpet’, Manzanita Emerald Carpet (lawn substitute)
Pyracantha ‘Santa Cruz’, Santa Cruz Firethorn
Arctostaphylos edmundsii, Little Sur Manzanita
Arctostaphylos 'Point Reyes', Bearberry

Tip: The ice plants are a poor choice for steep slope because their shallow root systems can not hold their heavy leaves. California native plants in bold.

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