How to Landscape a Back Yard With an Incline

Remove grass and other vegetation from the incline with a flat shovel. Cutting grass from the ground in thick patches keeps the root systems intact, making it easier to transplant the grass to bare areas successfully.

Plant a hardy ground cover at the top of the slope. Examples include fescue and buffalo grass. Ground cover adds greenery and texture to the top of the incline, and it doesn't require mowing or pruning. If the incline is steep, use a fast-growing ground cover such as winter creeper or French lavender to fight erosion and climb up the steepest areas.

Add hardy shrubs and flowering plants to the lower half of the incline. Small, blooming day lilies bring color and variation when their blossoms develop. Japanese yew and dwarf burning bush are examples of hardy shrubs that grow from 5 to 10 feet tall and add year-round color.

Plant flood-tolerant trees such as bald cypress and Eastern cottonwood along the bottom of the incline to help absorb excess water and create shade.

Spread a 4-inch thick layer of shredded wood mulch around the base of the ground cover seedlings. The mulch helps to retain moisture and prevent erosion as the plants develop.

Spread lava rocks around the shrubs that are near the bottom of the incline to add contrast. As inorganic mulch, lava rocks deter weeds and offer subtle texture with a mixture of earthy colors.

Water the new plants in short bursts with water from a garden hose, allowing about 10 minutes for the water to saturate the ground between each burst.