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How to Work With Sloping Gardens?

Apr 10, 2020

After years of designing and constructing many gardens in and around Sheffield, one type of garden poses more of a challenge. That is many have sloping gardens and owners don’t know how to work with them. We understand that slopes present their own special set of circumstances. Don’t worry however,  if your garden has an incline or slope; with a little smart thinking and some great design principles, these can be easily overcome.  Here, we will give you some great ideas on how to get the best out of your sloping garden and get the most out of it.

How to design and work with a sloping garden

A great starting point is to start to think about what you want from your garden. As a couple of examples; will space be needed for entertaining? In that case, you may need decking or a patio area. Will, there need to be an area for the kids can play outside? If so, you may need a lawned area. Is the garden purely used as a decorative space that you can look at and enjoy? In this case, you may need raised beds or larger areas of planting. Once you know the uses for the area, it’s time to plan them out. With sloping gardens, the use of space needs to thought about in a little more detail than a traditional flat garden. For instance, if you have a heavy slope on the garden that is elevated away from the house, if its north-facing, then placing large trees or shrubs may not be ideal. This could block out a significant amount of natural light coming into your home. As you can see planning is key!

What to consider when building your sloping garden?

As we mentioned earlier, building a sloping garden is a bit more of a challenge, the larger the incline of the slope the more tricky it can be. If you have decided that you would like levels and terraces within the garden then it is important that the walls or boundaries are soundly constructed to hold the weight. Also with terraces and raised areas its also worth mentioning that you need to consider drainage. Another consideration is if the garden is very steep then terraces and steps will also be steep, safety should always be thought about. Steep steps can be hazardous, so one simple solution could be to curve the steps and paths across the garden slope to lessen the severity. This can also create an attractive feature if planted correctly, making the walkway a really interesting and pleasant journey. Ensure that the sloping garden is easy to navigate so that maintenance is easy. Too many times have we seen a really steep lawned area, without little thought to simple tasks like mowing the lawn. This will become an epic challenge and a potential danger zone.

Soil erosion is a common issue with garden slopes

Soil erosion can be a real issue in a garden with a slope, but using the right plants can tackle much of this issue. Plants that don’t like much water with deep root systems are an ideal choice, they will stabilise the slope. You can use ornamental grasses, ground covering geraniums or varieties of trees and shrubs, these can make an ideal choice. Ground cover plants can also be an awesome choice such as creeping conifers and heathers and also ivy. Be careful with ivy as it can be very invasive if not managed correctly.

Make the most of your sloping garden

Sloping gardens present their own set of unique challenges but with a bit of thought and clever knowhow they can be a beautiful space.

If you have a slope in your garden look at it as an interesting feature and build someone truly unique that is practical and a delight to be in.

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M&M Gardening Services
94 Wollaton Road
Bradway
Sheffield S17 4LG

Telephone: 0114 3485221
Mobile: 07779 330638