Hillside landscaping ideas on a budget include the best ways to utilize available sloped space in the most natural and budget-friendly way possible. The lovely slopes can be a wonderful addition to your sloped backyard ideas or front yards. The ideas can be executed with very little effort and in little time.
Your sloped landscapes can be the highlight of your home with the right kind of planning. We have compiled a list of some of the best ideas to help you achieve beautiful, budget-friendly sloped hillsides.
Please continue reading as we delve deep into the ideas and be amazed at how easy, cost-effective, and budget-friendly they are.
Contents
- 36 Best Hillside Landscaping Ideas On A Budget
- 1. Stone Slab Pathway for Sloped Backyards
- 2. Raised Garden Beds
- 3. Water Feature in Your Sloped Yard
- 4. Sloped Play Area for the Kids
- 5. Sloped Backyard Fireplace
- 6. Create Dining Areas in the Path of the Sloped Backyard
- 7. Retaining Wall Ideas at the End of Your Sloped Backyard
- 8. Include Terrace Design in Hillside Landscaping
- 9. Add Double Rock Walls
- 10. Natural Pattern Pavers
- 11. Modern Sloped Landscape
- 12. Poolside Landscaping
- 13. Incorporate Succulents
- 14. Have a Patio at the Bottom of Your Slope
- 15. Overflowing Rock Garden
- 16. Navigate Through the Sloped Hillside
- 17. Plant Lavender on the Sides of the Pathway
- 18. Sloped Backyard Landscaping Using Ornamental Grasses
- 19. Steep Slope Gardening
- 20. Make Ground Cover Plants Part of Landscaping
- 21. Make Sloped Shelves To Show Off Your Plant Collection
- 22. Turn a Steep Hillside Into a Lush Landscape
- 23. Make Room for a Colorful Picnic Table
- 24. Sloped Backyard Under a Budget
- 25. Use Green Giants as an Accent
- 26. Carve Out Rustic Steps
- 27. Low Maintenance Grass Alternatives
- 28. Woodland Trail
- 29. Seating Area at the Start of the Slope
- 30. Stock Tank Pool as a Part of Your Slope
- 31. Sloped Flowers
- 32. Two Ways To Go Up and Down the Slope
- 33. Cover Your Slope With Black Mulch
- 34. Sliding Down the Slope
- 35. Mismatched Plants and Rocks
- 36. Slide Straight Into the Pool
- Conclusion
36 Best Hillside Landscaping Ideas On A Budget
Hillside landscaping ideas on a budget consist of cost-effective options to turn the otherwise useless hillside slopes into something productive and beautiful. The ideas chosen are going to cater to your budget needs while glorifying the space at the same time.
Here are the 36 best hillside landscaping ideas on a budget that will add life to your space.
1. Stone Slab Pathway for Sloped Backyards
This stone feature would be a great addition to any backyard. They provide a cheap yet effective and desirable stone look to your staircase. The slabs are pretty cheap. You can even use the slabs lying around uselessly. With endless possibilities and looks you can try with these slabs, it is truly in line with whatever you want. The only limit is your imagination!
2. Raised Garden Beds
Raised beds make managing weeds easy. You can easily pull out the unwanted plants, even if they are just a few. The idea is great for using the raised land and does not require much material for building.
3. Water Feature in Your Sloped Yard
With a sloped landscape, you don’t have to worry about how the water from your water feature will come down; the water flows down naturally because of gravitational force.
The speed of the water is highly dependent upon the length of the slope. The more the length of the slope, the greater will be the speed of water flow. Such sloped backyard ideas are bound to get heads turning.
4. Sloped Play Area for the Kids
A great way of using your sloped landscape is to build a play area for the kids. Kids are all about having fun; imagine how much fun they will have with this sloped play area.
5. Sloped Backyard Fireplace
Make use of the sloped landscape by creating a fireplace. The tiered design gives you enough space to make your firepit ideas come to life and to have your guests come over for a cozy and relaxing night. Use wooden decks around the area to make it stand out more and have a different place to sit.
6. Create Dining Areas in the Path of the Sloped Backyard
Use the sloped landscape to incorporate as many ideas as you can. Make simple dining areas, or a nice relaxing spot, down the slope, as many or as few as you want. Give hill station feels to yourself and your guests through this unique idea. This can also serve as your private picnic spot.
7. Retaining Wall Ideas at the End of Your Sloped Backyard
This idea is going to help you give you answer your question and solve many of the ongoing problems you might have in your sloped landscape. Retaining walls are a great way of using most of your landscaping space.
They are also going to give your landscape a put-together vibe. The retaining characteristics of such walls prevent erosion by holding the raised beds in place. The retaining wall is made to hold the structure in place while giving a beautiful look to your space. Stone walls are needed, especially in areas with heavy rock landscaping.
8. Include Terrace Design in Hillside Landscaping
Bring Mediterranean vibes to your sloped garden with simple terrace designs. You can just use your imagination and go wild! Use native plants that thrive in rocky areas while bringing a fresh feel to the space.
9. Add Double Rock Walls
Add a double rock wall that leads up to your residence. A double wall, irrespective of the building material, enhances the look of any place. This idea is also great for landscaping if you are on a budget. However, make sure that the walls have a good depth for sturdiness. Leave a little space between the walls to show off your beautiful garden ideas.
10. Natural Pattern Pavers
Another simple landscape design would be to use natural rocks to make the perfect pattern pavers. The color of the pavers depends on the color and type of rocks available. The pavers can be at the end of the sloped landscape to create a finished-off look.
11. Modern Sloped Landscape
It’s time to clear the misconception that modern cannot be inexpensive. Achieve your dream modern sloped landscape within your set budget. Use spotlights on the stone steps to make the design that more elegant.
12. Poolside Landscaping
Imagine stepping down the slope to a resort-like pool! This makes slopes the best thing ever, instead of a nuisance: a surprise then awaits you at every level of the garden.
13. Incorporate Succulents
Succulents are budget-friendly plants and the perfect choice for landscaping on a fixed or limited budget. However, do not forget to consider your region’s climate before planting them, as they thrive in fixed temperatures.
14. Have a Patio at the Bottom of Your Slope
Design a chilling spot at the bottom of your sloped landscape. A pleasant sight to enjoy after giving your guests a tour of your house or even with family at the end of a hectic day.
15. Overflowing Rock Garden
Let the uneven natural stones enhance the uneven slopes. This hillside landscape also acts as a hack to stop soil erosion. Choose plants like vibrant shrubs and green trees to add color.
Let the natural curves of your sloped backyard take you on a magical journey. Take every detail of your backyard while making your way back up or down. We highly recommend adding pathways to reduce the risks of slides and falls.
17. Plant Lavender on the Sides of the Pathway
Lavender is known for its calming and nerve-relaxing properties. So that means what better place to plant it other than your backyard? Plant lavender along the sides of the stairs leading the way up. Take in the plant’s fragrance while going up (or down!) the stairs.
18. Sloped Backyard Landscaping Using Ornamental Grasses
These grasses refer to natural grasses as well as those plants that just have the same appearance as grass. Such grasses are low-maintenance and come in various colors, textures, and sizes. Use them on the sides of your stone stairs or garden pathway and see how they brighten the space.
19. Steep Slope Gardening
Take advantage of the slope and create a vegetable garden. They will thrive in the stone landscape because of sufficient water drainage. Furthermore, the soil remains warm till the evening and, as a bonus, does not dry out.
20. Make Ground Cover Plants Part of Landscaping
This is the simplest way to enhance the beauty of your sloped backyard. The tough part is choosing the right plants to avoid issues like water run-off or soil erosion. The idea is low-maintenance and beautiful at the same time. You can choose between regular green grass or colorful plants, like perennials.
21. Make Sloped Shelves To Show Off Your Plant Collection
Use your sloped landscape to your advantage by making shelves to exhibit your plants. Plant similar-looking plants in rows to give your landscape an even and organized look. Use perennials at the top to give your design a vibrant touch.
This idea is easy on the pocket considering the only additional item you would only be needing are wooden shelves, which you can either make yourself from the wood plies lying useless in your home, or you can get them from your nearest home depot at a reasonable rate.
22. Turn a Steep Hillside Into a Lush Landscape
While often going down a slope, we try to find something to take hold of. For this particular purpose, you can add railings to your slopes for a sense of safety or plant shrubs on both sides to give the same protective feeling as solid railings. This idea is more appropriate if you don’t have kids running around.
23. Make Room for a Colorful Picnic Table
A colorful picnic table compliments the earthy tones of the sloped landscape very well. It is a nice change of sight to see and go to after seeing the same brown and white tones for a long period.
For this idea, all you need to think of is a colorful pattern to paint on the picnic table, or you can create an abstract design if you don’t have any particular idea. An even better idea, let your kids have fun with the paint and create a personalized design.
24. Sloped Backyard Under a Budget
Excellent use of loose gravel is using them on slopes. Contain the gravel in wooden frameworks and use it to add steps to your sloped hillside. Topsoil is a cheaper alternative if you are on a tight budget.
25. Use Green Giants as an Accent
Green Giants, one of the family members of Arborvitae, is a great option if you want to include a focal point in your hillside garden. These plant trees have a fast growth rate, making them ideal to be used as privacy screens.
26. Carve Out Rustic Steps
Why spend tons on artificial rocks when mother nature offers them for free? Rustic steps can be carved out easily using flagstone. They fit perfectly into any naturally sloped backyard. Such steps are low maintenance and give out the perfect forest feel.
27. Low Maintenance Grass Alternatives
With big places come big problems. One of the drawbacks of having a sloped landscape is having to mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of this hassle by planting low-maintenance grass alternatives, like clover.
Clovers do not have the same growth rate as grass, have better tolerance for rough landscapes, and are a great option for balancing nitrogen content in the soil so other plants can survive.
28. Woodland Trail
Trees are a great way to stop erosion on sloped landscapes. It works by slowing down the flow of water, which slows down or prevents erosion from occurring on the sloped landscape.
This way, you give a great natural look to the place, contribute to the environment, and protect the landscape! The idea is easy to implement and does not cost much if you have cuttings of willow trees.
29. Seating Area at the Start of the Slope
Backyard seating is a far more popular option than front-yard seating. The whole idea of having it behind is to take a break from a tiring day.
Imagine having a seating area at the very top of your sloped landscape. The green, from plants and trees, and other colors because of the flowers, will take all your stress away and help you sit back, relax and take in all the nature.
30. Stock Tank Pool as a Part of Your Slope
This refreshing idea will be the perfect addition to your landscape. Who would have thought of a pool to fit in the natural curves? Stock tanks do not cost much, but you can always buy them second-hand at much cheaper rates.
31. Sloped Flowers
Cover a part of your slope fully with flowers to hide the ground underneath. The flowers used can be of different colors or even the same color to add a striking effect. And on top of it all, the fragrance of the flowers is not going to share its limelight with any other slope design ideas you might have going on.
32. Two Ways To Go Up and Down the Slope
You won’t see this idea around much because people don’t usually experiment with such landscaping. You don’t need to keep a heavy amount aside for it. Carve out the natural steps in your landscape, or get them carved by someone willing to do it within your budget. All you have to do for the curvy slope is stack rocks along the natural curves of the landscape.
33. Cover Your Slope With Black Mulch
Another unique element to have on your sloped landscape is black mulch. Black mulch maintains the temperature of the soil and protects it from erosion. It does not promote weed growth, relieving you from the extra work. And it helps to add visual interest to wherever it is placed and enhances the natural beauty.
34. Sliding Down the Slope
It can be overwhelming to think of all the ideas you can add to your landscape. But then there are simple ones like this too. Add a slope-length long slide to the landscape and see the joy on your kid’s face.
35. Mismatched Plants and Rocks
Who said the sizes of rocks and plants have to be proportionate? Use rocks of different sizes and plants of different kinds along your sloped staircase to give your space a natural look and add to the scenic beauty of your landscape. Use this idea to give your hillside a natural look.
36. Slide Straight Into the Pool
You can never have enough pool options. Carve out the natural slope of your landscape to look like a slide that ends in a pool. A fun summer activity that is going to keep both adults and kids busy.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have compiled some of the best ideas you can use in your backyard and even front yards to give them a different look. The ideas chosen do not require you to purchase anything new except for the mulch. Amaze your guests with your DIYs that otherwise would have cost you tons.
- Is Leaf Shine Bad for Plants: Know the Products Carefully - September 29, 2023
- 16 White and Black Flowers For a Sophisticated Garden - September 28, 2023
- 20 Full Sun Shrubs That Thrive in Scorching Conditions - September 27, 2023
