If your dacha plot is on a slope, as in the photo, then you should not despair. Since there are a huge number of ways to arrange it. The most effective option is terracing the site, which is the creation of horizontally located ledges - terraces reinforced with retaining walls. Using this simple method, you can zone the garden area, in which you can combine paths with stairs in one design. The design of retaining walls varies depending on the height of the terrace. Their borders can be either straight or curved. The appearance will be quite harmonious. The terrace can be complemented with an original flowerpot with a miniature fountain, decorative garden plant and lighting.
Retaining wall decor
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You've certainly seen the perfect lawn in a movie, on an alley, or perhaps on your neighbor's lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area on their site will no doubt say that it is a huge amount of work. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, and watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think this way; professionals have long known about the innovative product - liquid lawn AquaGrazz.
Many owners of summer cottages believe that the location of the territory on a slope greatly complicates the process of decorating landscape design. In fact, terracing is an effective way to design a sloping site that turns the characteristics of such a seemingly unsightly area into excellent advantages.
Retaining walls
By far the most effective way terracing of any summer cottage on the slope is the construction of special retaining walls, which are horizontally located protrusions secured by such strong structures. Any protrusion of this kind should be about 70 centimeters long and about 4.5 meters wide. If you have a large area at your dacha, then there should be at least 3 such supports.
Arranging the area with fountains
Retaining walls are a fairly commonly used structural component, serving as the most important foundation for most structures. If you have a site on a slope, then retaining walls will be useful in order to secure the ground and prevent it from moving. Design features, the shape and decor of the retaining wall mainly depends on the style of the garden area and the load that is imposed on them. Every gardener can build such a structure with his own hands.
Retaining walls are:
- light – they have a height of up to a meter, they are erected without a base;
- capital ones - have a height of up to three meters, they require a gravel cushion.
The arrangement of the latter option requires close attention, since they will need to support the weight of the soil. They should be about 23 centimeters wide, and the thickness of the foundation should be approximately 65 centimeters, and as the height of the retaining walls increases, the thickness of the base also increases. Or you will end up with a deformed structure that will soon collapse.
Materials needed to build retaining walls yourself:
- wood
The demand for wooden retaining walls is that such structures naturally fit into the landscape design of the terrace. This method of terracing a garden on a slope with your own hands is possible in various ways, from the ordinary rustic style, ending with the strict version. Compared with other materials, such structures are short-lived, however, if they are built of the highest quality and the wood is well processed, then they will decorate your garden for a very long time.
- brick
Terracing a site on a slope using brick retaining walls is great solution, if your garden is decorated in the Art Nouveau style - due to the contrasting color and clear shape. Building such a support with your own hands is a little more difficult than the previous option, because you need to monitor the protrusion of the vertical masonry. A similar wall can be made more attractive with various masonry or brick colors, and can also be faced with decorative tiles or stone.
Choosing plants for slope decoration
- concrete
Concrete is a traditional material for such work - it is affordable, durable, and so on. Most best material for those who like to build everything with their own hands. Concrete retaining walls, due to the increased strength of this material, can be made thinner. If you build in advance on such a wall metal mesh, then it can be faced with natural or artificial stone.
- stone
Terracing an area on a slope using various stones is the most effective option, as this material is strong, durable and beautiful in appearance. Granite, limestone or sandstone can be used. During laying, the space between the pebbles must be filled with soil or a mixture of soil, sand and cement mortar. For such walls, natural stones or mixtures of concrete and stone chips are also used; its design can be either smooth or rough. But this material is the most expensive of all the above options.
When constructing retaining walls from any of the listed materials, the structures must certainly be equipped with drainage to drain liquid.
If our terrace for a garden plot on a slope is ready, then we can start decorating it. And here it is impossible to do without flowers. Thanks to various plants You can perfectly decorate the appearance of your garden because you can create individual compositions from evergreen or flowering plant varieties. You can also safely plant fruit trees on such slopes.
Zoning space in the garden
They will give your garden plot an excellent appearance. herbaceous plants like petunia or nasturtium. Or you can use shrubs like Cossack juniper and Japanese spirea in its decoration. In addition, you can create a drain where there will be ledges and mini-waterfalls that imitate natural streams or a cascade of several small reservoirs that are organized on nearby terraces. This is an excellent option if you have a large area at your dacha and sufficient area is allocated for terracing.
Also, retaining walls can be skillfully decorated, for example, by planting evergreen ivy at their head, which over time turns even a not very beautiful structure into a hedge or a green carpet.
An important point: on a slope it is better to plant plants that have a powerful, widely spread root system that can “hold” the soil. Among the shrubs, you can choose, for example, turf, climbing varieties of roses, and rose hips. For conifers, you can use dwarf spruce and so on.
Choosing colors for a sloped area
The decoratively decorated terrace looks quite beautiful. With the help of height differences in the landscape design of the garden, everything will look impressive and beautiful.
Important points when terracing a site
A staircase should connect one terrace to another. You should consider the type of stairs before you start designing your terrace. An ordinary staircase is generally flat, and the height of the steps should be approximately 8 centimeters with a width of about 28 centimeters. The material for the steps of the stairs can be wood and a natural stone. You can also make it from concrete, then its length and width can be arbitrary.
Let’s leave beauty aside for now and think about the practical side of this design, since the steps should be as comfortable as possible, especially if they will be walked on every day. Make the steps as non-slippery as possible. A steep staircase should have railings, and don’t forget about lighting at night.
Stairs for a site on a slope
Any terrace is an excellent platform for decoration in the desired stylistic direction. And if the slope of the terrace is very large, then you can zone the garden area. For example, if housing is usually located on the upper level, then a recreation area can be organized on the second level, and the lowest level can be reserved for a recreation area. A rather original and at the same time beautiful solution would be the construction observation deck on the patio, which should be arranged on the same level as the base of the home.
Terracing. How to arrange terraces on a slope?
Despite the fact that, from the point of view of landscape design, a relief area with a difference in elevation is much more interesting than an ordinary flat one, there is still an opinion that arranging a sloping area is a difficult and tedious task. However, if we consider landscape design on a slope as a creative process, here you are given enormous scope for imagination. The layout of such a site, as a rule, is not complete without interesting, original ideas and unexpected decisions. Of course, the design of a summer cottage on a slope will require more effort than arranging a garden with minimal differences in relief; the area will need to be terraced, retaining walls, special structures will need to be installed, etc. But upon completion of the garden arrangement, all efforts will be rewarded a hundredfold. Landscape design on a slope it will look very impressive and intricate.
Terracing is the formation of flat areas and differences between them. It can be organized, for example, using retaining walls and stairs. Terraces consist of a platform (canvas), excavation (internal) and fill (external) slopes, as well as a berm - an untouched part of the slope between two terraces. Slopes can be either inclined or vertical (in this case they must be reinforced with retaining walls). Often terraces are arranged in the form of steps, so that the excavated slope of the lower terrace is the fill slope of the upper terrace, and there is no berm. The construction of terraces not only allows you to make maximum use of the area of the site, but also helps to consolidate the soil, prevents its erosion, and makes it possible to optimize the level of soil moisture. If there is excessive moisture in the area, drainage terraces with a small longitudinal slope are built, and if there is insufficient moisture, terraces with a water-retaining roller, the so-called “edge,” are built. Creating terraces on a site that has significant slopes and unevenness solves several applied problems at once. Firstly, the new flat areas of land formed instead of useless slopes increase the functionality of the land without disturbing the overall composition of the garden; secondly, the space of the territory and its individual sections visually increases against the backdrop of unusually picturesque areas - terraces.
Landscape design on a slope. Strengthening 
The width of the terraces and the height of the slopes depend, first of all, on the slope - the steeper the slope, the narrower the terrace should be. The height of the terraces usually does not exceed 60-80 cm, but if necessary it can be higher - up to 2 m. The width, as a rule, is at least 4-5 m. With a small difference in height, the slope can be made inclined, but it must be strengthened. This can be done using turf, which is laid on top of the embankment and fixed with wooden pegs, stones (in this case, large stones are placed at the base of the slope, and smaller ones are placed higher up the slope; stones should not be pressed into the soil, but placed in specially prepared recesses), boards ( they are placed on the edge at an angle of 45 degrees to the direction of the slope, arranging square cells in which turf is laid; the gaps are covered with soil and sown with grass). In addition to "finished" turf, a slope can be stabilized with turf. To do this, first fix the soil using a biomat or the same sheathing of boards, then sow grass (it is advisable to choose a mixture that grows quickly and “holds” the soil well). The berm is strengthened in exactly the same way if its natural vegetation cover is damaged during construction work. However, most often slopes are made vertical, strengthening them with support walls made of wood, concrete, rubble concrete, natural stone, and also made of brick. If the terraces are small (in height and width), low decorative walls are made. They can be built independently, without special calculations. If the height of the supporting wall must exceed 1 m, to select it constructive solution and parameters (thickness, length, height, shape, material), it is imperative to invite a specialist, since in this case, erroneous calculations can lead to the destruction of the walls and “sliding” of the terraces. Curved and broken retaining walls are stronger than straight ones and look more attractive, but in most cases they require more material. However, a straight wall can be strengthened with the help of pilasters or buttresses (by the way, they can also serve as stairs or ramps leading from terrace to terrace). When building retaining walls from heavy materials (brick, stone), a foundation should be laid. Its thickness and depth depend both on the parameters of the wall (height, thickness, material) and on the type of soil on which it will be built. For wall heights up to 30 cm, a foundation is usually not required. For walls 30-80 cm high, the foundation is made 15-30 cm deep, for walls 80-150 cm high - 30-50 cm deep. The foundation is made of concrete, gravel, crushed stone, sand (compacted with heavy clay or cemented with cement mortar). When constructing retaining walls, it is also necessary to arrange drainage, since water, as a rule, accumulates behind the wall, this can lead to stagnant waterlogging of the soil (as a result, plants on the terrace may die) and gradual destruction of the retaining wall. To prevent such phenomena, drainage (longitudinal or transverse) is laid along the inside of the wall with such a slope that the water flows beyond the terrace into a nearby water intake. In addition, a drainage layer of gravel 70-100 mm thick is poured between the wall and the soil, which ensures normal water flow to the drainage holes and prevents them from clogging with soil.
landscaping 
A plot with terraces is the dream of any landscape designer. It provides ample opportunities for decorative landscaping, because on each terrace you can create an individual composition of evergreen or flowering plants and even plant fruit trees. Low herbaceous plants (petunia, nasturtium, bindweed) or shrubs (Cossack juniper, Japanese spirea) look very beautiful on the terraces. You can also arrange a watercourse with ledges and mini-waterfalls, imitating a natural stream or a cascade of two or three small reservoirs, organized on adjacent terraces so that water flows from one reservoir to another. Even a retaining wall can be skillfully decorated, for example, by planting evergreen ivy along the entire height of the wall, which over time, clinging to the protrusions, will turn the not very aesthetic structure into a living, pleasing green carpet. Thus, terracing the site and installing retaining walls allows you to fully express your imagination when designing the garden.
It is important
On slopes, it is advisable to plant plants with a powerful, wide-spread root system that can “hold” the soil. Among the shrubs, these are, for example, derain, climbing roses, rose hips, and barberry. Conifers include dwarf spruce, Canadian spruce, thuja globulus, juniper, cotoneaster.
pros
Decoratively designed terraces look very impressive. Thanks to the elevation changes in the landscape, the site looks much larger and more diverse.
Minuses
Arrangement sites on a slope of varying heights may be complicated by clay soils and exposure of the area to wind. Also, the site on a slope somewhat limits the choice of garden style. This applies to the classic regular garden, which is created only on flat terrain.
Suburban plots located on slopes differ from land plots located on plains. Due to the characteristics of the soil and changes in relief, owners have to face the need to implement additional work. In most cases, to solve existing problems, it is necessary to resort to the installation of retaining walls, terracing and the construction of special structures that help strengthen the soil layer.
Land on a slope - what can be done
A detailed study of many nuances and a thoughtful approach allow us to obtain original solutions. Defects that are incorrigible at first glance turn into a highlight, as a result of which a summer cottage site located on a slope acquires attractive advantages that arouse the admiration of neighbors.
To ensure that the efforts expended are not wasted, before starting work it is advisable to study the area from the point of view of its further planning. Particular attention should be paid to functionality.
The buildings built into the slope look very original. Such tactics expand the circle architectural solutions through the implementation of additional exits to the adjacent territory from different levels.
At the planning stage, it is advisable to decide on the locations:
- outbuildings, the operation of which requires the supply of electricity;
- gas or water pipes(toilet, summer kitchen, bathhouse).
Preliminary marking of areas for:
- flower beds;
- gazebos;
- canopy;
- recreation areas.
The slope can also be used to arrange a cellar.
In the photo - making retaining walls
A careful study of level differences and protrusions can prompt a non-standard solution in the field of landscape design.
Some corners seem to be created by nature for:
- waterfalls;
- streams;
- light openwork.
Rocky areas are ideal for creating rock gardens that recreate a mountain landscape.
Coping with steep slopes
The predominant part of summer cottages is used for planting trees, ornamental and agricultural plants.
Realization of the set goals is impossible without reducing the steepness of the slope.
- To solve this problem, they most often resort to such a simple method of transforming the relief as terracing.
- When developing a terrace plan, it is important to work out how to connect individual areas.
- Level paths or stairs can be used as the latter.
- Climbing up and down steep steps can cause fatigue. As a result, it is highly desirable that the height difference between elements does not exceed 10 cm.
- Staircases designed for heavy loads should be wide.
Advice: during construction, give preference monolithic structures, erected using the formwork method from a concrete mixture.
- Decoration with stones and tiles begins after the main work is completed.
Tip: For the construction of small stairs, use wood and natural stones, fixed with cement mortar or dry-laid.
The transformation of the landscape begins after drawing up a site plan. A sketch created on the ground will also come in handy. Steeper slopes require more terraces.
Advice: when arranging the latter, you should not forget about the level of difference. The value of this indicator should tend to a minimum.
Support structures
To enhance the stability of the terraces being built, supporting walls are used, the main function of which is to hold the soil and redistribute the pressure it exerts. Let's look at different materials:
| Wood |
|
| Stone | People became convinced of the practicality of supporting walls made of stone several centuries ago. The basis of the method, which does not require a solution, was the selection of stones of appropriate shapes and sizes. Implementing this method in practice requires creative thinking and perseverance. The price of work depends on the volume. |
| Concrete | Individuals who are far from construction can resort to the pouring method monolithic concrete. The arrangement of supporting walls made of natural stone, fixed with mortar, also does not require special knowledge. |
| Blocks and bricks | The instructions allow the construction of supporting walls from such materials. Before installation begins, work related to the creation must be completed. monolithic foundation. Most often, the tape variety is used for these purposes, which attracts owners with its high degree of reliability. With its help, high terraces are built, which are characterized by large differences. |
Excess moisture problem
Effective functioning of supporting walls is impossible without a drainage system. Excess moisture is successfully combated by a drainage layer, for the construction of which sand and crushed stone are used.
They cope with the task:
- drainage pipes laid towards the slope of the terraces (1 pipe is laid for every 2.5 m);
- if required, drainage trays can be used.
Backfilling of the terrace is carried out in the following order:
- the drainage layer is covered with an infertile layer of soil;
- Vegetable soil follows on top.
Remember, the possibility of ground settlement cannot be ruled out. The occurrence of this complication is most likely during the first few days.
Advice: it is advisable to start work related to the improvement of the site after filling up the settled soil.
Conclusion
Summer cottages on a slope can be turned into interesting areas using the terrace method. You will not only add useful space to yourself, but also make your place original. You just need to strengthen the slope in advance with the help of supports.
The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.
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beautiful landscaping garden retaining wall
At all times, people have strived to cultivate and improve land plots, and this led to the emergence of terracing. If you are the lucky owner country house or have a private house, in which you live, and you have your own piece of land, then, most likely, you want to improve it. Terracing a site with your own hands is quite a labor-intensive task. In addition to a great desire, you need to have skillful hands, tools, and a lot of patience. Our article is aimed at enabling you to become familiar with the principles of terracing and its basics. You will also receive proper recommendations and interesting ideas.
Terracing a site with a slope
Any owner of a house with a plot in the private sector dreams of a flat terrain, but in most cases we are faced with natural unevenness and slopes. In order for such a relief to become your advantage, you can terracing the area, which consists of creating wide covered areas where it will be convenient for the whole family or friends to spend time on a hill. Artificially created steps and areas look impeccable; they can be located simply along the slopes or decorate the approaches to reservoirs and areas with vineyards. Properly made terraces will become a feature, not a disadvantage, of your site. Along the edges of the platforms and steps you can plant fruit trees or just ornamental plants. If the slope is large, the ideal solution would be to create several areas. If it is not so steep and high, then it is quite possible to create one terrace. In any case, you will only benefit by improving your territory.
Principles of creating terraces
Terracing of a site is the creation of a land mass, which consists of a canvas, embankment and excavation slopes (vertical or inclined), berms - untouched parts of the slope located between the terraces.
Many people create terraces in steps, where the excavated lower slope becomes a fill for the upper one. Terrace areas must be fenced with rollers to protect them from soil erosion. Terracing the site allows you to increase usable space and improve the functionality of the soil.
To create a striking design, you need to use a variety of supports and ladders, so first assess the ground conditions and type of terrain.
Analysis of the surface and quality of the soil is carried out using visual surveys, and it is necessary to visualize the terracing. Once you have an idea of what your site will look like, take measurements to determine how many terraces you can create. Consider every little detail, including the size of the supports.
Why do you need an analysis of the state of the relief?
Terraces can be up to six meters wide, and the height can reach eighty centimeters. After analyzing the terrain and soil, you can:
- Assess the functionality of the territory.
- Create a vertical layout according to all the rules.
- Create the ideal composition of platforms and stairs.
- Choose suitable plants to decorate your terraces.
Once you have assessed all the parameters and come up with a design, it will be easier to create a work plan.
Layout plan, vertical layout and dimensional reference
Vertical planning is the artificial change in terrain to create terraces. These activities include adding soil or cutting it off. Terracing a summer cottage using this method means that the area must be divided into separate fragments that will meet the rules of marking.
If you plan to create such complex objects as a pond, rock garden, alpine slides, flower beds and mixborders, then you will need to create a layout plan that needs to be drawn to an approximate scale.
Stages
“How to terracing a site on your own?” - many owners of land plots are interested. To create a magical land on your own territory, you should stick to the basic plan. So, what stages will precede the appearance of terraces in your garden?
- Creating a marking of the treated area. It must be fenced by pulling threads onto driven pegs.
- You need to add soil at the bottom and cut off at the top. This will reduce the angle of the platform.
- Creation of drainage systems and, if necessary, laying pipes for water supply.
- Concrete preparation of steps and retaining wall.
- Installation of waterfalls, slides and mixborders.
- Decorating steps and retaining walls with cladding.
- Paving paths and paths with tiles or stones.
- Preparing sites for planting plants.
- Installation and placement of architectural elements.
- Planting plants, filling reservoirs.
First peg
In order for the terraces to have a clear horizontal line, it is necessary to create conventional horizontal lines, which are cultivated using pegs and ropes. First, a peg is driven into the slope, then the area is divided into segments equal to one and a half width of the terrace being created. Subsequent points for driving in pegs are located using a level. This will form the first horizontal line, followed by the rest. After this, you can begin adding bedding to create level areas. It is recommended to create them not strictly horizontal, but with a slight slope so that rainwater can drain from them without forming a puddle. It is necessary to strengthen the bedding with retaining walls.
Retaining walls
It is necessary to prepare a wooden container, lay turf in it, and secure it with pegs on top. After this they lay out large stones, after them - smaller ones. Next you need to attach a fine, strong mesh. After this, apply the mortar and decorate the wall with bricks, stones or tiles.
If the slope is too steep and high, specialist calculations and concreting are required. The same walls must be created as a foundation.
Strengthening walls
To strengthen straight walls, buttresses or pilasters are used, which, among other things, can serve as steps or ramps.
The construction of supporting walls is possible using concrete, stone, brick, wood or gabion with different fillers.
Conclusion
In this simple way, you can create beautiful decorations on your site that will decorate and add comfort. In reality, everything may be more complicated than it seems after reading the article, but it’s definitely worth it!
Taming the wild landscape
Transforming an area with uneven terrain into a beautiful, comfortable and at the same time easy-to-maintain garden is much more difficult than doing it on flat ground. In such difficult situations, we use terracing of a site on a slope. Yes, this requires special knowledge and increased attention from our architects, engineers and teams, but we love solving complex problems. Especially when it comes to such a task as terracing a slope.
What is slope terracing and how is it done?
This is the creation of stepped, often horizontal platforms, each of which is strengthened by a retaining wall or slope. The diagram below will tell you how best to do this.
Needless to say, almost every landowner dreams of a flat, plowed area, which all that remains is to plan it to your liking and plant ornamental trees and flowers on it. Fortunately, this is not always the case. Many of our customers like lands with interesting topography. Let's talk about the possible improvement of a site that has a significant slope, for example, located on the bank of a river, near a ravine. Full leveling in such situations is impractical. When geoplasticizing a site, we will spend significantly less physical effort and financial resources than when leveling. Having looked carefully at the territory, as well as at its geodetic plan, the designer determines how many terraces to make, how wide each of them should be, how high the “step” between the terraces should be.
As a rule, when terracing a summer cottage on a slope, it is enough to organize two to four terraces. To prevent erosion of the soil, they are separated in a certain way by slopes or retaining walls, which is absolutely necessary, regardless of the configuration of the terraces themselves, which are usually oriented across the slope. Terracing garden plot with a slope is ideal for constructing a small reservoir, which is best located on the lower platform. A cascade of two or three small reservoirs, organized so that water flows from one to another, looks even better. Along the cascade, you can plant a mixed plant group of various trees, shrubs and herbs, thus completing the composition. A high-quality rolled lawn that protects the ground from erosion looks great. You can build a watercourse that imitates a natural stream, with ledges and mini-waterfalls. A multi-tiered plot in itself offers ample opportunities for decorative landscaping, since each tier can be decorated individually if desired. A children's and sports ground, a gazebo with barbecue, a recreation area - everything has its place when terracing the slope.
