Need lots of help with slope abutting sidewalk (photos)

17 years ago

I've got a slope on the outer side of our fence that is just impossible to deal with. It's about 40 feet wide; 3 feet deep; with a 45 degree pitch.(The photo's below don't do justice to the degree of pitch)

Because it abutts a sidewalk, I don't want to install a retaining wall to abutt the sidewalk (the rest of the neighbours have installed retaining walls and this has resulted in their plants being mulched by little feet that lose their balance as every kid uses the retaining walls as a balance beam to walk on/skateboard on/bike on - I guess if I was a kid, I'd be doing the exact same thing as the slope pitch is pretty deep making the retaining wall nice and high up from the sidewalk.

I've put in some anchor plants to help reduce soil erosion; but really would love some suggestions on what I can do to spruce up this 'never ending sloping section'.

Here it is......

And it keeps going....

And going.....

And going.....

Help!! I don't want to put grass in this area as it is too hard to mow - would love to mulch it but fear that the mulch would simply run down the slope onto the sidewalk...

This area of my yard is becoming my arch enemy - I'd love to see photo's of how others have incorporated large rocks, plants and ground mulch to gain some inspiration on what I can do to make this look like a presentable portion of my yard.

Thanks!

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Comments (6)

bob64
17 years ago
It doesn't look so bad now.
Various groundcovers and low plants might do the trick (blood roots, sedums, phloxes, partridge berry, mayapples, flowers, etc.).
Maybe a low, creeping type juniper?
jeanner
17 years ago
I think a rock garden would be fantastic there! You could even do just parts of it as a rock garden, tucked in with the plantings you already have.
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quirkyquercus
17 years ago
I would do the retaining wall and if kids walking or skateboarding on it was a concern, I'd put on some kind of either a metal or plastic cap that is angled so that you can't walk on it or I would run a length of short height (maybe 12-18") of ornamental metal fencing at the top of the wall and fastened to the wall so that not only kids can not walk on it but also can not access the plants.
PuraVida
17 years ago
It looks nice now, what's so bad about it?

I think just adding some rocks would do a lot for it, often rocks half buried will grow a nice green moss on them, if you like that look. Also/or... why not go with some ornimental grasses you don't have to mow.

You don't have to do what your neighbors did.

pura vida

Here is a link that might be useful: garden picture blog
pat_tea
17 years ago
I saw this hillside treatment on a drive one day. Would something like this work for you?

{{gwi:885144}}
dainaadele
17 years ago
The only other idea I can come up with, it to use a commercial edging material that is made to stick up a few inches out of the ground. It would be too narrow for the kids to walk on, but would give you a clean edge to keep the sidewalk neat and act as a bit of a retaining wall to keep the plants/mulch in. I have a similar problem area between my house and driveway and found some recycled material stuff at Menards that has a natural brown and green color to it. Haven't tried it yet, it is on the fall to do list.