Making your garden look perfect doesn’t have to be a daunting task – even if you have an unwelcome slope

Gardening is truly one of life’s simple pleasures, Making your garden look perfect doesn’t have to be a daunting task – even if you have an unwelcome slope. By creating stunning landscaped steps which not only add character and definition but can also help you make optimum use of vertical space.

A steeply sloping site presents huge possibilities for dramatic effects: bold courses of curving walls or rigorous terraces like stairs ascending towards infinity… Let me show you how these powerful step features can enhance your landscape on a slope.

Creating steps into a hillside is a great way to bring functionality and aesthetic appeal to your garden. Not only will it make it easier for you to traverse the slope, but it can also add visual interest to your garden.

How to Dig Steps into a Hillside in Your Garden: landscaping steps on a slope

1. Determine the total height of the slope
2. Pick the materials you want to use for the steps
3. Clear the area of debris and vegetation, ensuring that the area is free of large rocks, roots, and other objects that may inhibit the digging process.
4. Determine the desired size and shape of the steps. Measure out the area to be dug and draw a diagram of the desired steps.
5. Mark out the stairway you want to excavate with your measuring tape
6. Use a shovel to mark out the steps. Start marking from the top of the hill and work your way down, digging a small trench to indicate the perimeter of the steps.
7. Always begin shoveling at the bottom of the hill
8. Dig the steps. Use a shovel to dig out the steps to the desired depth.
9. When you dig, shovel into the earth horizontally at the base of your slope so that you form a flat surface
10. Level the steps. Use a level to ensure that the steps are even and level.
11. Fill in any gaps. Use soil or crushed gravel to fill in any gaps between the steps.
12. Build up the roadbase surface a little higher at the back of the step
13. Add support. Place stones or bricks at the edges of each step to provide additional support and stability.
14. Slope the surface to level with the top of the riser at the front
15. To check the slope, use a spirit level
16. Backfill the area. Use soil or crushed gravel to backfill the area around the steps.
17. Test the steps. Test the steps to make sure they are stable and secure before use.
18. Show off to family and friends!

Selecting Your Material

You’ll need to decide what material you want the steps to be made of. If you’re looking for something that is affordable and easy-to-install, then gravel or any existing stones from your garden (if it’s a rocky hill site) would be the best option. However, if you want something more durable and long-lasting, then quarry stone, brick or concrete may be the better, long lasting choice. Once you have selected your material, you will need to purchase enough of it so that each step has roughly the same height and depth as the others.

Planning Out Your Steps

Once you have purchased your materials, you can begin planning out your steps. You should start by measuring how high and wide each step will need to be in order for them all to fit along the hillside. You should also consider where each step will begin and end in relation to the hillside itself so that they are evenly spaced out and look aesthetically pleasing when completed. Once you have determined these measurements, mark them out on the ground with stakes or spray paint so that they are easy for you (or whoever is helping) to follow when digging begins.

Digging Out Your Steps

Now that you have marked out where each step should go, all that’s left is for you (or whoever is helping) to start digging! Make sure that each step has roughly the same height and depth so that they are even when finished. Once each step has been dug out, fill them with either gravel or whatever other material was chosen before beginning work on another one until all of them have been completed.

When constructing steps on a hillside, it is advisable to begin from the bottom and work your way up. This approach provides several advantages. Starting from the base ensures a solid foundation for each step, promoting stability and reducing the risk of collapses or erosion higher up. It also allows for better water drainage as steps can be designed to facilitate proper flow downhill, minimizing the potential for soil erosion and slippery surfaces. Beginning at the bottom provides easier access to the construction site, simplifying the transportation of materials and tools. Additionally, it allows for a visual progression as you ascend the hill, enabling adjustments to the step design to align harmoniously with the natural contours of the landscape. While starting from the bottom is the recommended method, site-specific factors and personal preferences should be considered when determining the best approach for constructing steps on a hillside.

Digging out steps into a hillside is going to be a lot of hard work but with some careful planning beforehand it can easily become an satisfying part of your gardening journey with dramatic results. With just a few simple tools and materials at hand, anyone can create beautiful steps into their garden’s hillside in no time at all, even if you don’t consider yourself particularly handy around the house or garden.