How to Landscape for Sloped Lawns

Wait until you are ready to plant to prepare flower and garden beds. By leaving grass and even weeds in place, you will prevent erosion that may occur before you get landscaping planting.

Test the soil using a home kit to determine if any fertilizer treatment is needed prior to planting.

Spray nonselective herbicide on all planting areas and allow the grass and weeds to die back naturally. Do not remove these plants even after they are dead, so they may act as a natural mulch that will hold soil in place.

Dig planting holes down the slope in a staggered pattern. Straight, neat rows of plants will give water an easy runoff path that will create erosion.

Plant groundcovers in-between flower and vegetable beds to prevent soil erosion and reduce mowing maintenance. English ivy, or Hedera helix, yarrow, or Achillea, cranesbills, or Geranium traversii, creeping juniper, or Juniperus horizontalis and crownvetch, or Coronilla, among others, are all suitable for sloped lawns.

Plant drought-tolerant, hardy flowers in garden beds. Seaside goldenrod, or Solidago sempervirens, Indian blanket, or Gaillardia, and St. John's Wort, or Hypericum, are tough but attractive flowering plants that fare well on slopes and nutrient-poor soil.

Fill in any bare areas with buffalograss, a slow-growing turfgrass that needs to be mowed infrequently if at all. At its full height, buffalograss reaches no more than 8 to 9 inches in height.

Lay organic mulch -- shredded bark or leaves -- 2 to 3 inches deep, around plants to provide nutrients to soil and prevent erosion.