Landscape on an uneven area with steps. Ideas for arranging a site with a slope

Do not be upset, you are faced with opportunities that are not available to owners of ordinary plots. Your imagination and our advice will help you create an original and original example landscape design.

Positive and negative aspects of a site on a slope

To begin with, I would like to list all the advantages of the sloping location of the land:

• competently and beautifully designed, such a territory can become an extraordinary and picturesque example of landscape art;

• the plot on the slope is perfectly visible in its entirety, so from the windows of the house you can contemplate all the design elements in the garden;

• such land is a great place to create an alpine slide, waterfall or cascade;

• if the dacha is located on the south side of the hill, its territory will be illuminated by the sun as much as possible, and this is an excellent prerequisite for good growth green spaces and high crop yields.

However, in addition to the advantages, a cottage on a slope also has disadvantages:

• on land with a fairly steep slope it is problematic to plant a lawn;

• registration of such a site will require significantly higher costs than in the case of a flat location of the territory;

• planted crops will need frequent watering, since water in the soil will not stay long, flowing down the hill;

• plants on the northern slope can receive an insufficient amount heat and light, which will cause poor flowering and low yields;

• the foundation of a house located in the middle or at the bottom of a hillock runs the risk of being flooded with water;

• unstable areas of soil can lead to erosion and landslides;

• daily movement on the slope is physically tiring;

• Small children should not play on steep hills, so care must be taken to ensure their safety.

Features of designing sloping land plots

Dachas located on a slope are different from each other. All of them are distinguished by different elevation changes, which makes their landscape unique and original. In this regard, the design of each such site has its own planning solutions and decorative elements. There are certain features in the design of sloping lands:

1. It is considered optimal if the building on such a dacha is located on top of a hill. This arrangement greatly simplifies working with the terrain.
2. The layout of a site on a slope must necessarily take into account the characteristics of the soil and technical features water supply You also need to take into account the location of the slope relative to the cardinal directions and the wind rose.
3. First of all, you need to plan the location of utility structures and recreation areas, and only after that decide on the position of all other structures: terraces, stairs, retaining walls and other elements.
4. All measurements and calculations must be carried out with special attention and care - this will avoid unnecessary financial costs.
5. When landscaping on a slope, you should be careful with the lower layers of soil. They should not be moved or interchanged as this may lead to soil erosion, which in turn will create a hazard for garden buildings.

Plot on a slope, landscape design

The significant slope of the dacha area creates the preconditions for the designer’s flight of fancy. The height difference can be beautifully played up when designing a site, which will subsequently give an interesting, unusual and unique result.

Too steep a slope makes it difficult to move around the area and creates inconvenience in everyday life. In order to solve such problems and make living in the garden comfortable, terraces, retaining walls and stairs need to be built on the slope. Among other things, you should pay attention to soil moisture. In areas with a slope, the ground is usually drier and for good plant growth in such a garden it is worth paying attention to Special attention irrigation systems. To avoid flooding of buildings with storm water, drainage must be laid on the site.

Let's take a closer look at the various landscape design activities:

Terracing the site

For landscaping with a slope of more than 15°, a technique such as terracing is perfect - creating special horizontal platforms reinforced with walls. The size of the plot and the degree of its steepness directly affect the number and height of terraces. The platforms communicate with each other using stairs that are harmonious in appearance with the retaining walls.

Creating terraces requires significant work, time and money, but the effort spent will not be in vain: over time, your dacha will become a model of beauty and comfort. Before zoning a site using terraces, it is better to consult with specialists, inviting them directly to the work site. Their advice should help you achieve these basic goals:

• protecting the soil from soil erosion and creating an optimal system for removing unnecessary moisture;

• ensuring convenient and safe movement of the owners of the dacha along the slope;

• creation of recreation areas, gardens and vegetable gardens on the site;

• construction of high-quality and reliable retaining walls;

• arrangement of space for relaxation in a comfortable place.

Terracing of the site is carried out in several stages:

1. First, determine the degree of steepness of the slope. To do this, the height difference is divided by the horizontal base indicator.
2. After this, the locations of the terraces are marked on the site. The size of each site should be sufficient to accommodate a house, outbuilding, garden, flower bed or bed.
3. Then geoplastics is carried out - artificial creation or changes in terrain. In this case, the upper terraces are built first, gradually going down. The land cut from above is the basis for creating underlying platforms. The height of the terraces can reach 1.5 meters, but do not forget that creating high retaining walls will require considerable financial costs.

Building terraces is a creative endeavor. You can arrange them in one row, in a checkerboard pattern or asymmetrically - the choice depends on the desire of the land owner. The design of a site on a slope, the photo of which is presented below, is an example of asymmetrical terraces:

Creating retaining walls

Retaining walls are not only a way to strengthen terraces, but also a decorative element. What subtleties need to be taken into account when constructing these structures?

1. In order for the wall to look harmonious and fit into the overall design of the site on the slope, carefully select the materials for its creation and take into account the stylistic direction of the garden. For example, in country style Retaining walls made of beams or logs will fit perfectly. For a garden in an Art Nouveau style, a brick design with forged iron elements is suitable, and a plot with an emphasis on natural beauty It will look wonderful framed by natural stone.
2. Materials for creating retaining walls can be very diverse. Suitable for small structures sheet metal, wood, stone or reinforced concrete. Metal and wood must be treated with paint or varnish to protect them from moisture.
3. The stone wall can be laid dry or using cement mortar to secure it. In the first case, the height of the structure should not exceed 1 m; it is better to lay higher walls on the mortar.
4. Another material for creating retaining walls is concrete blocks. The structure made in this way must be protected from moisture in places of contact with the soil. You can also do exterior finishing walls using paint, tiling or natural stone.
5. So that the wall stands firmly and lasts for a long time, at the beginning of its creation, a reinforced concrete or rubble concrete foundation is laid.

Creation of a drainage system

Dacha plots with a slope are susceptible to soil washout due to spring floods or heavy rains. In order to avoid such a nuisance, drainage is laid on the territory. This is a system of pipes made of metal or asbestos cement, which are laid at the bottom of the wall. Sometimes pipes are replaced with filtration holes.

Use water from drainage system can be useful. For example, accumulate it in suitable containers and water plants or filter it for a pool, if there is one on the site.

Construction of stairs

As a rule, in areas with a large slope, terraces are connected to each other using stairs. They not only make movement around the dacha comfortable and convenient, but are also an element general design. In order for these structures to fit harmoniously into the overall picture of the garden, you need to pay special attention to their construction.

1. The dimensions of the steps do not necessarily have to meet accepted standards.
2. An affordable option could be a staircase made of wooden blocks or boards. In this case, the riser is made of a board mounted on an edge, secured on the sides with wooden pegs, and the tread is tightly compacted soil.
3. A more expensive, but also more beautiful option would be a staircase made of stone, brick or monolithic concrete. In the latter case, you need to additionally make wooden formwork.
4. If the stairs are too steep, a comfortable handrail should be installed on at least one of its sides.
5. Too much a large number of It is better to divide the steps into flights of 8-10 pieces, between which there will be areas for rest during the ascent. For more comfort Benches can be placed between the spans.

The area on the slope, the photo of which can be seen below, shows an example of a staircase made of stone:

Creating a garden on a sloped plot

Since the sloping terrain provides an excellent vantage point, beautiful garden It will look especially impressive on her. Alpine slide, various flower arrangements, artificial waterfalls and cascades - all these opportunities open up for the owner of a plot on a slope.

Often the soil of the hills contains a large number of stones and very thin layer fertile soil, but this problem is completely solvable. Stones can be used as a natural material for decorating retaining walls, and the land plot cover the slope with a layer of imported black soil.

Ideas for designing a relief area

1. You can grow a lawn in a relief dacha. If the slope of the terrain is too steep, this will be quite difficult to do, but on a sloping slope the grass and plants will be established quite well and will have a spectacular appearance. If the territory is designed in the form of terraces, then there will be no difficulty in growing a lawn. Stepped platforms covered with a terry green carpet will look impressive when viewed from above.
2. Sloping terrain is excellent soil for creating rock gardens - decorative garden from stones. You can also place a rock garden or simply beautifully decorated flower beds here. All planted crops will grow wonderfully on a slope if horizontal holes are made under them, reinforced with sides. On the terraces, plants will feel even better, and elevation changes will provide a beautiful play of sun and colors.
3. An artificial pond is another trump card of a site on a slope. Waterfalls, cascades and streams will beautifully fall from the top of the hill, and a quiet, cozy lake can be located on the terrace area.
4. Paved platforms and stairs meandering like serpentines among the greenery are an important decorative element general composition.
5. To decorate the slope, you can use junipers and ground cover crops. They are able to grow over the territory like a motley carpet, and also successfully hide construction defects.

You can learn more about designing a cottage on a slope by watching the following video:

Basically, in such articles they write how cool and beautiful it is, then they add that you are very lucky, because you have an area with differences, create - everything is in your hands. All these parting words richly “fertilize” a huge amount ideas and a bunch of beautiful photographs from all over the world, and at the end of the article, some masochists definitely recommend smearing stones with kefir to root moss in retaining walls. But that doesn’t make it any easier for us, really :)

And here we can safely state that we are part of society. In such dense urban, dacha and cottage areas, we feel like we are in an aquarium!

Then our main task is to create an isolated island for the whole family to relax, through a gradual transition to a separate zone-an oasis of calm. I call this the third dimension. The first dimension is the formal entrance area in front of the house. The second dimension is the area behind the house, and the third is the most sheltered, the most intimate for relaxation and reflection. The wind, the noise, the bustle is somewhere above......
In this case, a site with a slope is very beneficial to us, since the descent is always identified with shelter and protection. And with proper zoning of the site, we can develop and strengthen this feature and ultimately get an intimate patio, a small lawn or a gazebo by the pond, hidden from prying eyes, that is, our main requirement create isolation.

Here clear example.
Small area on all sides densely populated by neighbors. When I was planning and designing a garden in Raubichi, Minsk region, I isolated the most remote corner even more, and enhanced the feeling of intimacy with a general lowering. Moreover, it revealed and enhanced the characteristic natural features of the sloping site by creating a stream from top to bottom that flows into a pond under the patio terrace. The dimensions of this cozy patio follow the dimensions of the terrace near the house. Everything is made from natural materials. Everything is concentrated on privacy and relaxation after a working week.

• Important. In the city and suburbs natural materials-tree, earth, plants, water, acquire even more important than in a distant village, where we are literally surrounded by all these textures. Therefore, make the most of natural materials to enhance your ecological island.

Let's look at a common planning mistake
Look, we can do the traditional thing, just order the construction of a concrete retaining wall in Minsk, pour it thoughtlessly and we’ll end up with a lower terrace, or just 2 pencil cases crushing the most important area of ​​the garden.

It looks very disharmonious, but most importantly, these pencil cases subsequently determine the structure of the landscape design.

In this example, we organized a retaining wall in the most active traffic area in the form of a closed courtyard near the bathhouse, and the second part, where there is much less traffic, was designed in the form of a descending slope that can be formed in the form of another volume. This arrangement will strengthen the relationship with the house and the bathhouse, create a much more harmonious development of landscape design, and in the future your stay will be much more comfortable. It turns out that we saved and strengthened it.

Important. Use the golden ratio rule. If you decide to combine a retaining wall with a natural slope, follow the one-third rule. That is, either the slope occupies 2/3, and 1/3 is occupied by the support with the stairs, or vice versa. Use the laws of similarity and identity. Use the dimensions of the house and façade finishing materials in the dimensions of retaining walls, patios, and terraces. Let's say your house is 11 meters wide. If this size is used in the dimensions of a retaining wall, patio, gazebo, then such direct interaction unites disparate volumes. Your main task is to avoid fragmentation of unrelated elements.

Example "island". I designed and built this area in the form of a semicircle, which forms a lower island where there will be a gazebo and a lake around it. Please note that on the side of the retaining wall there is a bridge to connect two ponds, and the composition will be completed by a waterfall flowing into the lake from the retaining wall.

This example demonstrates a fragmentary retaining wall with a staircase leading to the bathhouse complex; I organized the rest of the area in the form of a natural slope.

Practice shows that many individual developers do not consider one of the better and more logical options placing stairs, retaining walls and leveling the height difference on your site, on the side of the house, let's look at this option.

Each house has passages between the wall of the house and the fence on both sides, usually narrow.
These passages are ideal for constructing stairs and retaining walls.
1) With this arrangement, the staircase with a retaining wall will be located in narrow, little-used areas, as a result of which this gives us the opportunity to use the most important area behind the house without changes and clutter concrete walls, for example for .
2) There is a lot here more options technologically link the landscape design with the design of a staircase, a retaining wall or a group of stairs, terraces, since there are two verticals, a fence and a wall of the house. Which stair purlins may rest against. In addition, it is easy to use structures for vertical gardening.

And here is a clear example of a difference of 1.5 meters, arranged on the sides of the house.

When designing the space of your site, always try to perceive retaining walls as important element, which is obliged to form any separate zone. That is, retaining walls are always more harmonious when they predetermine or highlight the adjacent volume with their shape.

Current advice: How to add a useful article to your browser bookmarks: Press “CTRL+D”. It's convenient and works in most browsers, try it now.

Building a house on a slope or hill is a tempting idea for landowners. There is always a wonderful view from the windows, and the cost of such land is somewhat lower than on the plain. But such areas have a number of features for landscaping.

Features of hilly areas

If you look at the photos of the plots on the slope, you will notice that they have a special layout, as well as a design.

The design of each such plot requires a special approach, since it is necessary to take into account the specificity of the soil, the angle of elevation, and the features of the relief. Work on landscape design is more voluminous and more difficult than on level ground, as it requires additional efforts to strengthen the soil.

Even if there is no need for design, but you just need a vegetable garden or garden, then you need to approach the planning responsibly. This is justified by the fact that over time the soil may “move” under the weight of buildings and plantings.

Design ideas

Before developing the design of a site on a slope, it is necessary to inspect it from a functionality point of view and choose a method for strengthening the soil.

One of the most popular design options for a site on a slope is terracing. The ledges may be different sizes, shapes, located symmetrically or chaotically. The appearance of each terrace and its decoration depends only on the owner’s idea. The ledges are connected by paths or steps.

On the terraces you can organize a vegetable garden, a garden, recreation areas, and outbuildings. A stream can run from the upper platform to the lower one. It is recommended to decorate the edges of the steps with floristry or use stones, logs, fences, etc.

The slope can be left unchanged (if no plantings or buildings are planned on it), strengthening the soil. Such plots can become a place for a walk.

Strengthening

Slope strengthening can be done different methods. The choice of option depends on the functional purpose of the site, the angle of elevation, soil characteristics, and the presence of groundwater.

Planting

If the slope of the site is small, then it is enough to plant it with low, perennial plants with an extensive root system. After a few years, the risk of soil “sinking” will drop to zero. On the fortified slope it is possible to build small outbuildings or plant trees.

Strengthening with geomaterial

If the elevation degree exceeds 30, then it is recommended to strengthen the soil with geotextiles or geogrids. They are placed on the surface, covered with soil, and after a while they are planted with small plants.

It will not be possible to place something more significant (buildings, garden) in such a place, but the soil will not “move.” Landscape design plot on a slope will make this place ideal for relaxation.

embankment

The issue of strengthening the slope can be resolved with the help of an embankment. This method is recommended to be used only on large areas, so as not to significantly reduce the area of ​​the territory.

Retaining walls

Retaining walls are widely used to stabilize soil. They can be different heights and strength, depending on the material of manufacture.

Gabions

Often in areas with uneven terrain you can see mesh cubes filled with stones and soil. In addition to their immediate function - strengthening the soil, they allow you to realize design ideas.

Perennial (often climbing) plants are planted in the ground, which is in a grid, which in a year or two turns ugly cubes into original landscape details.

Support structures

When planning terraces, it is necessary to decide how to strengthen the slope in this area. To ensure the strength of the sites, support structures made of concrete, stone, brick and wood are used.

Concrete

This is the simplest method that does not require long and painstaking work. It is enough to make the formwork and fill it with concrete. In this option, you need to correctly calculate the surface level.

Brick

To lay out a brick structure, you must first make a foundation, and only then make a support using mortar.

Stone

To strengthen the terrace with stone, there is no need to make a foundation and spend money on mortar (but this is recommended). Stone craftsmen will lay out the material according to the author’s idea, observing all the rules of work. Stone in landscape design is beautiful and reliable.

Wood

Depending on the needs, logs (sticks, boards, etc.) are buried in compacted soil or in a poured foundation.

The wooden support structure can be of different heights and thicknesses. It is important to pre-treat the wood with a water-repellent agent.

Drainage system

The layout of a site on a slope should take into account such features as the accumulation of moisture in the lowlands and the erosion of supporting walls. To avoid such troubles, you need to think through the drainage system in advance. Landscape designers prefer open structures. They are made in the form of streams, decorative gutters, and water slides.

There are drainage systems made from water-conducting layers or complex drainage systems with filtration. Any design and soil strengthening option, as well as creative ideas, can make a non-prestigious plot on a slope a beautiful and comfortable place to live and relax.

Photo of the site layout on a slope

If you are the owner summer cottage on a slope, you can be sure - with a skillful approach to the matter and compassionate care your garden will differ most favorably from areas that are located in ordinary low-lying areas. The most important thing that you have to take care of when arranging a site on a slope is the construction of special terraces at height differences and the strengthening of plumbs with plants with a rapidly developing root system, which will help keep the soil from landslides.

Landscape compositions integrated into the existing complex terrain always produce unforgettable impression due to its versatility and unique character. A garden with height differences will always be unique.

On this page you will learn how to design a site on a slope to create a unique landscape look.

If your garden plot located on a slope, it will have to be formed with terraces and reinforced with retaining walls. If the terraces go down to the south, then all decorative and fruit and berry crops, including heat-loving ones, such as grapes.

When landscaping a site on a slope, keep in mind that in front of the bushes, along the edge of the terraces, there is an excellent place for planting vegetable plants, strawberries and flower beds. Fruit trees should be placed on the lowest terrace. But if the terrace slopes to the north, then the choice of fruit and berry crops grown on it will have to be significantly limited winter-hardy varieties and views. And no grapes!

The landscape design of a summer cottage on a slope compares favorably with low-lying areas– such an area is perfect for creating landscape garden, consisting of a cascade of retaining walls, steps, winding paths, and secluded areas. Total romance! A site on a slope is good for young owners, but difficult for older people. Keep this in mind when you buy such a plot. Estimate how many years you have left between your current age and your old age.

As shown in the photo, when landscaping a site on a slope, the very first task, even before any buildings and plantings, is technical work to strengthen the plumb line:

If you do not strengthen the slope, then there will always be a threat not just of pebbles and soil falling onto the paths, but also of landslides, which can cause significant trouble, including the destruction of buildings. This is due to the fact that water flowing down the slope during snow melting or during heavy rain erodes the soil with furrows of varying depths, washes away the soil under buildings and plantings, and washes away the top fertile layer of soil. The steeper the slope, the stronger and faster it collapses. First of all, you need to direct the flow of water flowing down the slope not in the way that is convenient for it, but in the way that you need it. To do this, you should make a drainage system either by laying concrete gutters on top, or by digging under the soil layer drainage pipes and thus divert the water into a reservoir (or a ditch at the foot of the slope).

If the differences are more or less gentle, then to design a site on a slope and consolidate the soil, you just need to plant plants that quickly develop a root system, which will keep the soil from landslides.

Pay attention to the photo - you can sod the area on the slope with clover (preferably white, you don’t have to mow it), fescue or bluegrass:

But the grasses will have to be mowed before they sprout, because their many-thousand and also small and light seeds will scatter throughout your garden and germinate wherever they manage to land. Essentially, by sodding you create an artificial meadow on a slope. If you plant small-bulbed plants and botanical tulips in such a meadow, then in the spring these flowers will unusually decorate it. Since these are perennials, they can be dug up and replanted after 6–8 years.

The landscape design of a site on a slope involves planting other (in particular, coniferous) plants that can hold the soil on the slope; these are mainly creeping forms. But if you need a garden or vegetable garden, then first you need to cover the slope with black spunbond, which is easily strengthened on the slope slate nails. Garden shrubs, large-fruited garden strawberries(commonly called strawberry) or garden crops. Gradually, the plant roots will become well established in the soil, and the material will break down over the years. Black covering material in the first years (by the way, black spunbond, which is not removed from the soil, can last up to 7-8 years) will prevent the growth of weeds and retain moisture and heat.

These photos show Beautiful design plot on a gentle slope:

Landscaping of a site on a steep slope (with photo)

If the site is located on a steep slope, then you cannot do without retaining walls or special geogrids. We must also keep in mind that the steeper the slope, the faster the water drains from it, and therefore drought-resistant plants should be planted at the top of the slope, and naturally more moisture-loving plants should be planted at the foot of the garden on the slope.

It will not be possible to create a traditional lawn on a steep slope (and not only on a sunny one). It should be replaced with thickets of herbs(hyssop, sage, wormwood, thyme, savory), cloves, chistets, chives, aubrieta are also suitable.

As you can see in the photo, the landscape design of a site on a slope involves planting plants such as jasmine, saxifrage and sedum:

If you need a vegetable garden or flower garden, as well as berries and ornamental shrubs, then on a steep slope you will have to make flat terraces reinforced with stone masonry. In the design of a site with a slope, the terraces should be connected to each other by steps - you should not make gentle paths from terrace to terrace, since in rainy weather or when there is ice, walking along such paths will become difficult.

It is on such terraces that you will have to place your garden and vegetable garden, providing automated system glaze. The easiest way is to install several plastic water barrels at the top, from the bottom of which water will flow through hoses with small holes. The hoses should be placed along the plantings, lightly digging them in. Water will have to be pumped into the barrels from time to time through other hoses using a pump. You can add mineral and organic fertilizer. Then the power problem will be solved. Barrels on landscape area with a slope, you can either paint it funny or decorate it with plantings so as not to spoil the landscape.

For the construction of retaining walls, you can use gabions - strong metal outer frames to which a small metal grid, filled with large pebbles, crushed stones and stones, which provides good drainage, and the frame itself prevents stones and pebbles from spreading. Complex slopes are usually strengthened in this way. It is these gabions that often hold road slopes.

It should be noted that a retaining wall in the landscape design of a site with a slope- this is a structure that will require certain engineering calculations and situation analysis during construction. In a number of areas where soils are mobile, incorrect calculations can lead to the destruction of terraces over time. Don’t save money, invite surveyors and specialists who know how to build terraces correctly. With the help of hydraulic engineers, you can immediately include water structures in the project: waterfalls, cascades, streams. Sites on a slope are usually not popular with amateur gardeners, since they require a lot of labor and money to develop. And life in such an area with constant walks up and down is more reminiscent of sports than country holiday. But if you still decide to plant a garden on a slope, you will get a garden that is unique and unique of its kind.

Look at the photo to see what summer cottages on steep slopes look like, decorated with retaining walls:

Decorating the slope on the site with plants

When you draw up a planting plan for the floral design of a summer cottage on a slope, pay special attention to analyzing the illumination of your plumb line. Naturally, on the southern slope it will be warmer and lighter, but much drier. Any herbaceous perennial flowers and herbs that thrive in partial shade (periwinkle, geranium, tenacious, loosestrife, heuchera, St. John's wort, lungwort, bergenia) will grow well under the trees planted on the southern terrace. An option for landscaping a summer cottage on a slope is to plant ferns, baths, lilies of the valley and peonies on the southern terrace. If planted coniferous trees, then rhododendrons feel especially good next to them. But we must remember that, although they cannot tolerate stagnant water (which does not threaten them on a slope), they are very moisture-loving. At least 12–15 liters of water should be poured under each adult flowering plant every other day in hot weather, and weekly in cloudy weather. Remember that even in rainy weather, water leaves the slope very quickly.

Roses, species and varieties of junipers will feel great on the southern plumb.

Pay attention to the photo - in an area with a slope you can plant ground cover vines, in particular clematis, climbing (petiolate) hydrangea, girl's grapes(the last two plants, by the way, can be planted not only on a sunny, but also on a northern slope):

Cotoneaster and barberries grow well among the shrubs on the slopes.

On the northern slope, almost all conifers feel great (junipers - Virginian, Cossack, prostrate, thuja occidentalis, microbiota). The low-growing and creeping forms of coniferous plants look impressive among their relatives with a columnar crown.

When designing a summer cottage on a slope with your own hands, when creating a retaining wall you should immediately leave pockets in the masonry - empty spaces, which are then filled with fertile soil for planting plants in them. In addition, a small layer of soil is also left between the layers of stones or bricks (this is not suitable for a steep slope, because during the spring flood such a layer will simply be washed away if hydraulic engineering work has not been carried out). Relatively drought-resistant plants with a shallow root system are planted in these pockets (as well as in the layers between the rows of masonry). These plantings will also strengthen the slope.

On the higher part of the retaining wall, it is necessary to plant the most drought-resistant plants (for example, chickweed, woolly hawkweed, alternating these silver plants plantings of dark red tenacious). Unpretentious and drought-tolerant grass carnation is also suitable.

As shown in the photo, the design of a summer cottage on a slope involves planting awl-shaped phlox of different colors in the spaces between the rows of masonry:

But please note that after the lush spring flowering, in the middle of summer, it takes on a very unsightly appearance, so you need to sow annual seeds directly into its plantings in the spring, which will cover its withered greenery. Towards the end of summer, when the annuals begin to fade and can simply be removed, the phlox will again be covered with thick and bright greenery, although, of course, it will no longer bloom.

In the upper part of the wall for designing a site on a slope with your own hands, you can place plants that require good drainage: juniper-leaved armeria, periwinkle, liverwort (gentian), rhizome (alpine arabis), viola, pinnate carnation and many other plants.

In the lower pockets of the landscape of the site on the slope, you can plant more moisture-loving plants, for example, bergenia thick-leaved, saxifrage, toadflax, bells, dwarf ferns, which are also all shade-tolerant.

Pockets of perennials should be interspersed with annuals, sowing their seeds directly into place in early spring. Ageratum, iberis (the seeds of which can also be sown before winter), alyssum, low-growing marigolds, kermek (limonium) are suitable only for a well-lit wall, since they are very light-loving, as well as Carpathian bell, lobelia, Drummond phlox.

These photos show a beautiful design of a site on a slope, made by yourself:

Larger pockets can be provided for planting coniferous plants: mountain pine, microbiota (don’t let them grow too much), Cossack juniper, pea cypress, as well as creeping conifers or forming small bushes (for example, some varieties of horizontal juniper, recumbent juniper, dwarf cedar , juniper scaly).

When designing a slope on a site, you can grow shrubs on retaining walls: Thunberg barberry with bright red foliage, Japanese quince, horizontal cotoneaster, heather, dwarf species of rhododendrons (on shaded slopes), heather, Erica, and in the lower part of the retaining wall - holly mahonia (so that it is covered with snow). The rocky wall, completely overgrown with juveniles, looks very beautiful. To prevent it from looking monotonous, you should intersperse red or yellow varieties among the green plants.

In these photos of landscape design summer cottages the slope presents the most beautiful options arranging a plumb line:

What to plant on a slope: garden design

Anyone who is developing an area with a difference in elevation is interested in what to plant on the slope of the site. There are a great many options here.

A beautiful composition for landscape design of a site on a slope with your own hands, made up of plants that will help strengthen the plumb line:

1. Rock juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’) - at 10 years of age the plant reaches 2–2.5 m in height and 0.5–0.7 m in diameter. The needles are bright blue, soft, scaly. The location is sunny. Does not tolerate stagnant waterlogging. It has high phytoncidity.



2. Wrinkled rose (Rosa Rugosa Scabrosa) - bush height - 1.5–2 m; flowers are large, fragrant, flat, fuchsia-pink in color with yellow stamens; The fruits are large, round, red. Blooms from spring to mid-autumn. This plant is ideal for garden design on a slope, as it perfectly secures plumb lines.



3. Silver oleaster (Elaeagnus commutata) is a small tree or shrub from the Elaeagnus family with a wide-spreading crown, 1–4 m high. The leaves are usually bright green with a silvery-metallic sheen characteristic only of oleaster. reverse side. It is best to plant sucker on elevated slopes facing south; it is light-loving, drought-resistant, undemanding to soil, and frost-resistant. Strengthens slopes.



4. Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina) - grows in the sun, easily adapts; very resistant to high temperatures, winter-hardy and wind-resistant, holds the slope perfectly.



5. Cinquefoil (Potentilla fnuticosa) thrives in both full sun and partial shade. Potentilla blooms profusely and for a long time - for 3–5 months. Does not require ideal soils or planting sites. When laying out a garden on a slope with your own hands, keep in mind that drained fertile soil is optimal for shrubby cinquefoil, but it can also grow on clayey, rocky or slightly alkaline soils.



6. Hybrid sunflower (Helianthemum x hybridum ‘Attraction’) - light orange flowers with a dark center. Variety ‘Butter and Eggs’ - double orange with a salmon tint. Blooms in June.



7. Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica).



8. Steller's wormwood (Artemisia stelleriana) - good for planting on rocky hills and retaining walls, excellent ground cover plant for gravel garden, rocky slopes. Perennial with more or less prostrate shoots, 20–30 cm long, with beautiful, split silver-gray leaves. Winter-hardy.



9. Olympic St. John's wort (Hypericum olimpicum) is a subshrub 15–35 cm high. Root system strong but shallow. The leaves are linear-elliptical, glaucous. The flowers are large (up to 5 cm in diameter), yellow, collected in apical semi-umbrellas. Blooms in July-August. It is undemanding to soil, but prefers loam. Requires a sunny location, does not bloom in shaded and cold places. Drought-resistant, does not tolerate waterlogging. Winter-hardy with good drainage.



10. Pinnate carnation (Dianthus plumarius ‘Maggie’) - height 25–30 cm, forms a dense bluish, very decorative pillow from narrow leaves, as if covered with a waxy coating. It blooms with large fragrant flowers, bright pink, double, with a burgundy eye. It is winter-hardy without shelter, but can get wet in winter and spring, so good drainage is required. Requires division every 3–5 years. It blooms from late May to early June for about a month. A sunny place does not tolerate stagnant water, so the planting site should be chosen on a hill. The plant is not very demanding on soil; it only does not tolerate acidic peat bogs.



11. Thunberg barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Green Carpet’) - height 80–100 cm, wide crown, bright red foliage in autumn.

And in conclusion, enjoy the beautiful views in another selection of photos, which shows the best design of a site with a slope: