How to Landscape a Front Yard With a Slope

Place a stake in the ground at the bottom of the slope where you want to start the landscaping. Place a second stake in the ground at the bottom of the slope where you want to end your landscaping. Tie a string between the two stakes to create a definitive line for your edging.

Dig an 8-inch deep trench with a shovel or trencher along the string line. Use a rake, shovel and a level to ensure the floor of the trench is level.

Fill the hole with 4 inches of crushed gravel. Tamp the gravel down and check it with a level to ensure it stays flat.

Fill the rest of the trench with cement. Stop filling when you are within one-half inch of the ground's surface. Use a trowel and a level to ensure the cement is level. Allow 48 hours for the concrete foundation to solidify.

Apply a one-quarter inch layer of mortar to the foundation.

Wet your retaining wall stones with hose water. Wetting the stones will prevent the stone from pulling the moisture out of the mortar too quickly.

Butter the bottom of the first stone with a one-quarter inch layer of mortar and then place the buttered side of the stone onto the foundation. Duplicate this with the first row of stones. Fill mortar into any cracks between the stone.

Place one-quarter inch layer of mortar on top of the first row of stones. Butter the bottoms of the second row of stones and place the stones on top of the first row. Duplicate this process until you reach a wall height of 12 to 24 inches.

Backfill behind the retaining wall with top soil to reduce the level of slop. It is important that you continue to slope the ground away from the home and toward the retaining wall, but you can reduce the slope to create a landscaped area that is easier to work in.

Line the slope with landscaping fabric. Overlap seams by 12 inches to prevent weeds and grass from working up through the fabric.

Fill the landscaped area with mulch or gravel such as river gravel or lava rock.

Pull away areas of mulch and cut a slit into the fabric with a utility knife.

Dig a hole in the the ground located in the center of the slit fabric that measures wide enough and deep enough to hold the root system of your perennial plant or shrub. Use a garden hoe, shovel or garden trowel to dig the hole. Backfill the hole with the topsoil and then scoop the mulch or rock over the slit in the fabric. Do not let the landscape or mulch touch the flower stem. Repeat this for each flower you want to plant.