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matthew_rodriguez55

Downgrade slope

last year

Hello & thank you in advance for your time!

As seen in the photos below, my front lawn has a bit of a downward slope to the street.

Within reason, I’m looking to have this fixed in the Spring. I’ve received a variety of different answers from local landscaping companies, but would love to get this groups thoughts.

Can this be fixed? If so, what would you recommend?

Thanks!

Comments (13)

  • last year

    Sure, it can be "fixed"......but the question arises, does it need fixing? Unless there is a drainage issue, which there does not appear to be, it is far easier and vastly less expensive to leave it as-is. Is there some compelling need for change we are not aware of?

  • last year

    Visually I’d prefer it to not be as harsh as a slope down, so fully a personal preference.

    The goal would not be to fully flatten by any means!

  • last year

    The photos do not indicate a very steep slope. In fact, it appears quite gradual compared to many I have worked with.

    Even low terracing would involve considerable expense in terms of labor and materials. Have you considered a bisecting planting bed - perhaps a mixed shrub border - to visually break up the slope but avoiding the need for any grading or retaining walls?

  • last year

    It looks like a gentle slope to me. Making it flat would be expensive and is unlikely to add any value to your house. I'd focus on landscaping, instead.


    The only thing that will made the slope flatter is a retaining wall. That's pretty expensive.

  • last year

    It's not broken, so don't fix it.

    Visually breaking it up with trees, shrubs, general landscaping would change your perception of it, and be a lot cheaper than regrading.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    The solution is a freeform berm planted with trees and groundcover. You can add flowering shrubs and any kind of perennials, depending on your zone. You can stagger a couple berms if drainage is necessary.

  • last year

    I’m on the same team as all the other responders here. Landscape is your answer. @dan1888 has the right idea. Whether drainage is an issue or not, planted berms would take care of the look of the slope & all that grass. You’d want berms in the plan so you don’t create a flat expanse of plantings to replace the flat expanse of grass. It’s hard to tell what the walkway looks like from the pics but it looks just long & a straight shot to the front entry. I’d break that up somehow.

  • last year

    I don't really see any slope at all. Both my front and back yards have considerably steeper slopes than that.

  • last year

    I like give recommendations. Actual terracing with stone or block walls would be very expensive because you would need large amounts for the apparent size of the lot. Then you’d actually have more maintenance because terraces would either require non- lawn plantings ( more weed potential) or again, be large wide subtle terraces with lawn to mow on them, very big job to look nice, and still would not have the height and seasonal interest of some generous pockets of ornamental trees & shrubs.

    Try to find work examples/ portfolios of local professional landscapers —not just cookie- cutter meatball installers, but someone who’ll include how things look from viewed inside + street view, what cultivars are the right size when maturing. Maybe in stages, or an area expanded over time, or what irrigation do you need. This is not cheap either but would look good.

    I still expect a lot of lawn to remain as slope looks relatively mild and if in full sun it will be easiest to maintain ( if your climate/ rainfall supports it).

  • last year

    I don't know how much you're up for, but to my eyes, the house is set too low to the ground for its style. Might that be why the slope bothers you: because the house seems to need more of a base? Lowering the grade near the house could fix that--for a price, because the walkway would need to be lowered too (and could have curves or offsets added at the same time, plus plantings, to make the long trip more visually interesting). The entry would need additional steps at its base, and probably another set of columns in front of the existing ones, perhaps set one step down to give the entry portico more visual height.

    I can't tell what the small upright shrubs along the house are. Could they make a low hedge at the bottom of the slope (along what I assume is the road)? Then rounder, more relaxed plantings in deeper beds could replace them near the house.

    Here's a rough visual (note the increased distance from bottom of first floor windows to the ground plane):

  • last year

    And a few tweaks to the portico (shortened eaves, filled in gable with arched lower edge, kept only single columns at front corners but moved forward, added back columns or pilasters against house):

  • last year

    Thank you so very much! These visuals are beyond helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to help me!! ☺️

  • last year

    To me, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to add interesting garden beds because everything is visible from the curb because of the slope, so take advantage. I’ve added a lot of native plants, shrubs and trees to my garden. They are hardy, drought tolerant when established and good for pollinators. Consider searching for a native plant landscaper in your area. Ask or research what plants are invasive in your area. English ivy and periwinkle are invasive for me so I have native Canadian Wild Ginger as a shade groundcover. Pale purple coneflower, brown eyed Susan, New England Aster, Culver’s Root, Penstemon, Joe Pyle Weed (not a weed) Blue Grama Grass would look great mass planted. Plant a serviceberry multi stem tree.
    Do you have deer pressure? Zone?

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