Downward sloping garden

8 years ago

Hello, we need help with ideas for our garden. It's downward sloping from the house and so we don't know what the best design is for that? Does Anyone have any suggestions/ideas? We want more privacy & def plan on new fencing. Any ideas or pics from downward sloping gardens would be appreciated! Thanks, R

Featured Answer

PRO

Amanda Broughton Garden Design

8 years ago

I really would avoid Leylandii. Yes they are fast growing, but they are too vigorous for the average garden and will require pruning twice a year. They also rob the soil of all moisture and nutrients and it is therefore very difficult to grow anything beneath them. If you want evergreen I would go for cherry laurel, or maybe yew. Alternatively, Ligustrum or Photinia grown as standards would free up the soil beneath for under planting. Another lovely idea would be a small group of Betula utilis var jacquemontii (Hinalayan Birch) strategically placed for privacy without completely blocking the view.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (17)

rosie34
8 years ago
Hi. A great blank canvas! Which way does the garden face? The fencing looks in reasonable nick, I'd save the money there, just paint it a nice green or blue green (Cuprinol do some good herby heritage shades, inexpensive) to make it 'disappear' into the landscape, and then plant it up with permanent fruiting climbers, like espaliered apples or plums or redcurrants, for a prettier and productive boundary. You could cut some 'windows' in it to incorporate the field beyond, to add a sense of space. A small tree near the bottom right could help frame the view.

You could also tier the garden - create a wavy or diagonal too tier, edged with sleepers or stone, and a lower tier, perhaps with a corner paved for sitting out, planted with veg or herbaceous beds. Set steps in it offset at an angle, rather than straight down the middle. Diagonal and curved lines will give the illusion of more space. soil dug out to make the tiers could be used to backfill further raised beds near the house, kitchen herbs perhaps? The lower end is likely to be boggier so think about that with the planting. I'd definitely break up up horizontal paved area too, which makes the garden look much smaller. Lift and relocate it to make the angled or curved area of slabs, interspersed perhaps with brick edgings? And move the bins to one side, screen the bin area off with a raised bed and trellis, planted up with other climbers.

Some ideas, anyway. Have fun! Be interesting to see what you do with it.
PRO
Landscape Design by James Brunton-Smith Limited
8 years ago
What a nice blank canvas and an opportunity to create an interesting space. My aim would be to create one useable level from the house with some larger screen planting to hide your fence and blur the divide between the garden and field beyond.

Decking would allow you to build out at one level and need not look unattractive as some people have begun to think, we use a lot of composite materials which have a long life expectancy.

Maybe some carefully selected pleached trees around the overlooked boundaries would give a contemporary twist whilst lighting would uplift the space considerably, keep it simple
Related Discussions
Challenging garden: small and on the slope
Q
Comments (41)
I begun to write this suggestion out when I released i had a drawing for a similar garden. So tweak it to suit Hide new steps behind new raised bed of rose carpet (or lavender) which are very easy to maintain which can also be used as seating Water feature with the spout can be hidden in the hedge, Use a galvanised mesh (heavy) an inch or so below water, you don't want children falling in. Skim walls to match in with new beds, the brick is a bit dull. Second level plant hydrangea From top of steps enter landing area to raised lawn, use angle iron for perfect straight lines. Low hedges: Use Rosemary rather than Buxus as it can have an unpleasant odour if planted on mass especially near patio areas. I would replace the fence with something sturdier and would allow for trellis which will give privacy but not annoy the neighbors by blocking too much light You could also use the trellis at low hedging to stop children falling off or use http://www.tecni-cable.co.uk/ systems for a safe but see through fence, it wont stop the determined child to climb over but will definitely prevent accidents Rather than having a 'veg patch' you could make sure that everything has to earn its keep. So plant fruit trees, berry bushes, vegetables, herbs and so on. If you need any help contact me. Regards Cian
...See More
Ideas for a downward-sloping driveway?
Q
Comments (1)
need a front elevation image and a clear idea of what you wish to achieve.
...See More
Garden Design + Levelling / Sloping Garden Help
Q
Comments (0)
Hi, we've recently purchased a new build house and we're struggling a bit with how to configure the garden due to the way it slopes. It's essentially just a 10m x 10m square at the moment with a few squares of pavement, and a slope from the top left towards the house and to the right fence. (see pics) We're trying to work with the level as much as possible to reduce the cost of levelling, and we're thinking of a deck in the top right (sunspot), and a raised lawn in the top left, with some steps and sleeper beds / steps around the garden to support it. (see drawing) Does anyone with any garden experience have any thoughts on how feasible something like this would be and how much it would roughly cost? Or any alternative ideas for the garden? We have a dog so a lawn is essential, and a deck or patio in the top right is pretty much a given for us. Any ideas/design tips would really be appreciated! We're looking for something quite modern, ideally with levels to create interest and reduce the levelling costs (if this even achieves that?)
...See More
Sloping Garden Advice
Q
Comments (2)
The only way to level the garden would be with retaining walls. Depending on how much of a fall there is you could use railway sleepers. Or if it's quite large you will need to do block walls with drainage and weep holes. If you don't mind smaller areas of level garden you could terrace the garden into different 'room' with steps down and nice areas of planting into the garden, for this sleepers would suffice. However I would recommend oak sleepers and not pressure treated soft sleepers as these just don't last anymore, and paint the inside with bitumen paint to help protect them.
...See More
User
8 years ago
As far as privacy is concerned (and I was desperate for some in my front rooms) I planted some conifers that grow to about 4 metres several years ago and they have now grown big enough to completely obscure my front neighbours. You can prune them and when I look through my front windows now I see nothing but greenery. Bliss.
ravie64
8 years ago
I would plant some leylandi at the back & sides for privacy they grow to 15ft so you could have them about 6 ft high. Then sort your garden after that. Good Luck
Sonia
8 years ago
Please avoid leylandii like the plague! They are monstrous huge conifers that take over gardens and rob the soil of nutrients. Many a neighbourly dispute has been about overgrown light blocking conifers. Keeping them trimmed is also very laborious.

Instead plant a lovely selection of climbers and shrubs (honeysuckle, roses, viburnums, solanum etc). They will soon create a screen and be beautiful to look at as well. Many shrubs grow to 6 feet or more. Avoid trees, unless they are fruit trees, as most of them grow too tall and wide and will swamp the garden (I know this from experience!). I would also plant up the sides with climbers. You will soon be looking at an amazing array of colours.

Libraries, or charity shops, usually have a great range of gardening books to give you some inspiration. Good luck.
sootsprite
8 years ago
Our backyard slopes down to the back fence too. We originally planted bushes across the back for privacy. But when it rained, over time, the mulch slid down to the fence. That left bare soil, so then the dirt ended up pooling down at the fence too. We ended up with bare roots and a rotted fence.
We pruned the bushes we have left up like small trees so the sun hits the grass we planted underneath.
Just something to keep in mind as you plan your landscape.
PRO
Lavin Landscape & Ground Maintenance
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The garden does not slope that much so
- I would build a retaining wall (to new ground level) at the fence
- Level garden: By leveling the garden you will gain extra height when planting screening plants
- Install new fence to inside of existing and finish in French Grey or Lichen colour by F&B but use Teknos paint for a spray finish.
- I suggest you contact a joinery company to make up fence as they will fill and sand the wood to leave a superior finish. We make up our own, it is basically joinery but for outside.
- Top off fence with square or diamond trellis finished in same colour (joinery)
- Plant pleached limes, or Olive trees if your area can tolerate them. Olives make a great screen and are evergreen too.
- under plant with hydrangea paniculata, Allium, agapanthus and pink tulips in spring
- Splash crocosmia sunrise here and there, plant lavender munstead & pennisetum alopccuroides hamela.
- Edge beds with rosemary and keep clipped
- Do not be afraid to try different plants, if they don't work out move them in the winter or pass them on to friends.
- If you need any more information, contact me, regards Cian
Rhona Logan
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all so much for your help! Some interesting ideas there and lots to think about! I think we'll look at some plans. Will let you know how we get on!
PRO
Juditheharrisongardendesign
8 years ago
Firstly you need to assess what you might want to spend on hard landscape. Gardens on slopes will generally need some retaining walls. Where you put these depends on what you need to use the space for and what proximity to the house e.g. you may like to see where the sunniest spot is and choose that for your main seating area. Then we can look at what you retain with and the style we build in. we have to consider the treatment of the fences which are non retaining too...and once the technicalities are addressed we can look at making the garden fit your style, and of course budget.
PRO
Stanton Burls Design
8 years ago
Looks like a lovely blank canvas.
Rhona Logan
Original Author
7 years ago
All finished our amazing garden by 3D Garden Design
Rhona Logan
Original Author
7 years ago
Complete with bench seating area
Louise Latus
7 years ago
Wow what a transformation.
Kirsten O'Gorman
4 years ago
Hi Rhonda. Your garden looks amazing. May I ask what the trees are which you have planted please?
maxibird145
3 years ago
Looks great
Mary Lund
2 years ago
Our garden also slopes down. We have built a patio immediately to the back of the house with a few steps leading to a lawn with shrubs/flower border.