By thoughtfully landscaping a hill you can't mow, you can create a vibrant focal point of outdoor design. Selecting native plants is the best choice for steep hills; once established, they don't require supplemental watering and resist pests and disease. Mix trees, shrubs and deep-rooted perennials with grasses and ground covers with spreading habits to create a dynamic, no-mow landscape that revitalizes a hill while preventing soil erosion.
Select a range of native trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and ground covers for the hill. Choose plants known to be low-maintenance in your geographic region. Add wildflowers to enhance a natural feeling; stick to only a handful of varieties and arrange them in a regular pattern for a more formal design.
Place a horizontal pathway on the hill so you can maneuver through plants without eroding the soil. Lay stepping stones for a casual path you won't frequent. Install more elaborate stone, paving stone or brick paths if you intend to use them often, and include a stairway to access the paths if the hill feels too steep to navigate vertically.
Arrange plants so sun-lovers grow on the southern and western sides of the hill. Place plants that grow best in slightly cooler, shadier conditions on the northern and eastern sides. Put plants that thrive with wetter roots near the bottom of the hill and install those that grow best with dry roots toward the top.
Create mini-terraces to plant each vertically oriented specimen. These include trees, shrubs and most perennials, which would look awkward if planted sideways into the hill. Flatten areas larger than the root ball of each plant, and dig the holes perpendicular to the ground.
Mold soil ridges around the base of plants with your hands to direct water to saturate plant roots instead of running off the side of the hill.
Fill in the gaps between plants by adding groundcovers and annuals to help reduce soil erosion. Plant them directly into the side of the hill.
Scatter a heavy application of wildflower seeds if you want to include them in the design.
Install drip irrigation to avoid walking on the hill as tender plant roots establish themselves.
Water plants so they receive the equivalent of 1 inch per week until specimens are well-established. Native plants may be established after the first year. With other plants, this can take from one to three years. Follow the guidelines for your selections and do not over-water plants.
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- Native plants do not need fertilizer. Avoid planting species that need fertilizer as it may be awkward to reach them on the slope.
- If you are dealing with an especially steep slope, hire a landscape architect or engineer to determine whether terracing the area is necessary before planting.
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