We are not all blessed with an open, flat garden. Many of us live in hilly towns or the rolling countryside, and gardens on slopes are the only kinds of gardens we can get. Terraces cut into the incline are probably the most common method for making the most of those tricky sloping plots, but there are lots of ways to have fun with an uneven landscape. From snaking paths to jutting decks and sunken seating areas, here are some ideas for beautiful and exciting sloping outdoor spaces.
Colin Cadle Photography
1. Rise above it. Constructing a deck over a steep downward slope affords level space for entertaining and great views of a garden. Depending on the angle of the slope, the deck could also be raised on pillars to create storage or even a playspace beneath.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
2. Build a banked border. Most plants are just as happy growing on slopes as in level beds, so try constructing flower beds that rise up from a path, creating a green, enveloping corridor. Small steps cut into the bank will give you access for weeding and pruning.
Envision Landscape Studio
3. Design the terraces around different themes. Terraces cut into a sloping garden gain extra style points when each is given a clear identity. Here the lower level contains a water feature, while above are structural plants that stand out against a white rendered wall. Beyond is a more relaxed planting set against black stained wooden walls.
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Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders
4. Plant a living mural. If your garden slopes upward, the rear boundary will be much more prominent. Make a feature of it by creating a fabulous planted wall, as seen here. Alternatively, grow trees in pots along the wall or train climbing plants up it for a vibrant backdrop. Here strips of lawn and shallow steps with inset lights create a green carpet leading to the lush wall.
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Aaron Gordon Construction, Inc.
5. Walk on the wild side. Planting a slope with a relaxed mix of hardy, low-maintenance plants rather than neatly lined-up specimens that require a lot of care is a great way to make a garden slope attractive. Plus, you won’t need to clamber around on it with the pruning sheers every weekend. The landing terrace halfway up these wooden stairs allows people to pause and enjoy the plantings.
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Linsey Evans Garden Design
6. Add a rail. Walls and terraces can create steep drops that are dangerous for small children. Consider installing railings for safety. A mix of stone and iron railings can look elegant and classic, as this garden proves.
Colin Cadle Photography
7. Create zones. While an outdoor dining space is best positioned close to the house, an area devoted to reading or lounging can be located anywhere in the garden. Make the most of the more private, lower reaches of a sloping garden by building a small terrace and adding garden furniture there.
London Garden Designer
8. Lay a feature path. A sloping garden is usually more visible from the house, so help link it to your interior with a gorgeous, snaking path that’s fun to look at and walk on. This tiled path in beautiful blue tones draws the eye all the way to the upper reaches of the gently sloping garden, enticing you to explore it all the way to the end.
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9. Squeeze in a seat. A cultivated sloping garden like this one is not best suited to entertaining or playing, but it is perfect for sitting and relaxing. The steep slope here has been walled to create beds; a horizontal slice of lawn, just big enough for a bench, has been included in the design to provide a spot in which to sit and admire the garden.
Avalon Northwest Landscape, LLC
10. Mix up the materials. In a sloping garden, the materials you use to terrace the incline can be as eye catching as the plantings. Here steel backs plant beds while boulders add visual depth.
GEL: Griffin Enright Landscape
11. Go green. Steps are a necessary ingredient of a sloping garden, but you can create a very naturalistic effect by growing grass on them. These stairs are covered with Korean grass, which is tough and bright.
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Your turn: Share photos of clever design solutions in your garden in the Comments below.
Colin Cadle Photography
1. Rise above it. Constructing a deck over a steep downward slope affords level space for entertaining and great views of a garden. Depending on the angle of the slope, the deck could also be raised on pillars to create storage or even a playspace beneath.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
2. Build a banked border. Most plants are just as happy growing on slopes as in level beds, so try constructing flower beds that rise up from a path, creating a green, enveloping corridor. Small steps cut into the bank will give you access for weeding and pruning.
Envision Landscape Studio
3. Design the terraces around different themes. Terraces cut into a sloping garden gain extra style points when each is given a clear identity. Here the lower level contains a water feature, while above are structural plants that stand out against a white rendered wall. Beyond is a more relaxed planting set against black stained wooden walls.
Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders
4. Plant a living mural. If your garden slopes upward, the rear boundary will be much more prominent. Make a feature of it by creating a fabulous planted wall, as seen here. Alternatively, grow trees in pots along the wall or train climbing plants up it for a vibrant backdrop. Here strips of lawn and shallow steps with inset lights create a green carpet leading to the lush wall.
Aaron Gordon Construction, Inc.
5. Walk on the wild side. Planting a slope with a relaxed mix of hardy, low-maintenance plants rather than neatly lined-up specimens that require a lot of care is a great way to make a garden slope attractive. Plus, you won’t need to clamber around on it with the pruning sheers every weekend. The landing terrace halfway up these wooden stairs allows people to pause and enjoy the plantings. 
Linsey Evans Garden Design
6. Add a rail. Walls and terraces can create steep drops that are dangerous for small children. Consider installing railings for safety. A mix of stone and iron railings can look elegant and classic, as this garden proves.
Colin Cadle Photography
7. Create zones. While an outdoor dining space is best positioned close to the house, an area devoted to reading or lounging can be located anywhere in the garden. Make the most of the more private, lower reaches of a sloping garden by building a small terrace and adding garden furniture there.
London Garden Designer
8. Lay a feature path. A sloping garden is usually more visible from the house, so help link it to your interior with a gorgeous, snaking path that’s fun to look at and walk on. This tiled path in beautiful blue tones draws the eye all the way to the upper reaches of the gently sloping garden, enticing you to explore it all the way to the end.
KellyBaron
9. Squeeze in a seat. A cultivated sloping garden like this one is not best suited to entertaining or playing, but it is perfect for sitting and relaxing. The steep slope here has been walled to create beds; a horizontal slice of lawn, just big enough for a bench, has been included in the design to provide a spot in which to sit and admire the garden.
Avalon Northwest Landscape, LLC
10. Mix up the materials. In a sloping garden, the materials you use to terrace the incline can be as eye catching as the plantings. Here steel backs plant beds while boulders add visual depth.
GEL: Griffin Enright Landscape
11. Go green. Steps are a necessary ingredient of a sloping garden, but you can create a very naturalistic effect by growing grass on them. These stairs are covered with Korean grass, which is tough and bright.