Columnists
Design Dilemma
Charlotte has a hill that nothing grows on. Charlotte would like to look out of the back of her home and see something green instead of the loose gravel berm that separates her house from the forest behind. She would like something low-maintenance, that doesn’t require a lot of watering or mowing.
CHALLENGE
Adding plant material to a slope is always tough because it takes a while for the plants to develop a root system that will anchor them in place. Trees and shrubs take even longer, often uprooting with a heavy rain or wind. Another issue that Charlotte will have to think about is the wildlife in the forest, specifically deer.
CARSON’S OPINION
I’m guessing that Charlotte purchased this home because of the privacy (and beauty) of the forest behind her. When the house was built, the contractor cleared out a section of the forest to put in drainage ditches or some sort of swale to prevent water from flowing into the home, creating the ‘hump’ in the yard. Its time to blur the property line, so to speak, and bring the forest closer to Charlotte!
CARSON’S SOLUTION
This job is going to require some heavy machinery! Before Charlotte tries to plant any thing else, we need to create some structure for this slope. My favourite way to do this is by adding large boulders or Armour Stone to create planting pockets. To make these stones look like they’ve always been there, it is important that the tops of the stones remain flat after installation. This means that the rocks have to be dug into the bank on an angle. The space created behind the stones is now a perfect spot for fresh soil and trees or shrubs. Plant perennials in front of the stones so that they benefit from the extra protection and will soften the overall look. I am a fan of putting large trees in the middle and at the bottom of a hill so that they break the visual horizontal lines that are created by the crest and the base of the mound. Also consider adding a bench at the bottom of the garden. This is not only inviting, it draws the eye into the yard instead of up and away, which is what the hill currently does. Finally, I’d add a simple detail like a natural stone wall up on top of the hill. This type of structure helps to give depth to the space and creates a sense of separation between your safe spot (the house) and the wild forest beyond.
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