Sloped properties present unique challenges as well as unique opportunities for creating amazing outdoor living spaces. These 5 landscape design ideas for sloped backyards in the Northbrook and Winnetka, IL areas will help you take advantage of views, make the most of the available space (and even create more) and even make it easier to care for your landscape.
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Retaining Walls and Terraces
The key to making the most of a sloped property is the construction of retaining walls. Depending on the nature of the slope (mellow or steep) you may need one or several retaining walls, and possibly engineered retaining walls. Retaining walls give you the opportunity to excavate into the hillside to gain additional usable space while managing soil movement.
While a series of retaining walls on a steep slope can seem daunting, consider the popularity of terraced gardens found in Mediterranean countries where the land would otherwise be too steep to be usable at all. These terraced gardens are not only beautiful, they are practical.
Terraces create nearly endless options for customized outdoor living and gardening spaces, each level separated by a wall, accessed by steps, and featuring unique plantings that give each space its own personality.
A stepped (terraced) approach lends itself perfectly to a zoned approach, with the high-traffic/high-activity areas located at the level of the home and low-traffic, low-activity areas located on more distant levels.
Hillsides often pose challenging conditions for plants, as drainage challenges can wreak havoc on plant beds. A single retaining wall, or a series of terraces can simplify gardening, putting plants at a convenient height and helping to manage erosion.
If your outdoor kitchen is located on a lower level (with a retaining wall and slope uphill of it) you could conveniently grow culinary herbs and vegetables within arm’s reach of your cooking space for fresh garden-to-table meals all summer long.
Water Features
Sloped properties naturally lend themselves to the delights of moving water. Adding a water feature such as a series of waterfalls can turn your sloped property into a visual and auditory feast: and turning a formerly unusable, erosion-prone hillside into a luxury retreat.
Destinations
The outlying layers of a sloped landscape could be the ideal location for special destinations: a fire pit area; a games area; a meditation spot; or a hidden garden. Building amphitheater-style seating directly into a retaining wall creates a wonderful opportunity for a cozy fire pit with a view - and a space that stays warmer on chilly days, thanks to the ability of the retaining wall to absorb heat from the fire.
If there’s a view you want to embrace, place a pergola or pavilion on the uppermost level of the slope to provide shelter for a wonderful viewing experience.
Incorporating an outdoor fireplace into a retaining wall is another option for creating a cozy and inviting living room-like feeling.
Winding Walkways
Winding walkways can take you on a delightful journey through the landscape in a much more leisurely fashion than stairs - making the journey from one level to another a bit longer, but less strenuous. Be sure to use non-slip stepping stones, a gravel path, or concrete pavers for safety.
Integrated Landscape Lighting
The right lighting makes all the difference in how usable your outdoor space is after dark. Thanks to LED technology, landscape lights are now small, versatile, and the low-voltage lights last an extremely long time. Landscape lighting could be incorporated into the retaining wall, for nighttime ambience and safety, giving your landscape the luxe look of a high-end retreat.
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