Planting Designs for Tiers

Planning

• Tiered gardens make gardening on slopes or hillsides possible. Keep it simple by creating tiered planters that are no more than 2-1/2 feet wide, a width that allows for varied plant species but still keeps plants with easy reach. Choose decorative borders for the tiers’ fronts, such as river rocks or flagstone, and use strong landscaping timbers for the back walls. Test your soil’s pH content and amend the soil with organic compost if needed. Water runs downhill, so place plants that thrive in dry soil on upper tiers and plants that thrive in moist soil on bottom tiers.

Ground Covers

• Ground covers, low-growing plants with spreading root systems, work well in tiered gardens. They prevent soil erosion and run-off and fill empty spots. Choose trailing ground covers for tier edges, but consider their mature size, as you don’t want them to hang too far into a lower level. Choices include the purpleleaf wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei “Colorata”), a fast-growing, trailing plant with lustrous foliage. This evergreen grows from 6 to 18 inches tall and spreads to 5 feet. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and in a variety of soil types. Daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrida) grow well on banks and slopes and are efficient erosion preventers. These deciduous plants have long, linear foliage and attract butterflies and hummingbirds with their large, colorful flowers. Daylilies thrive in sunny sites with rich, well-draining soil. Other ground covers for tiered plantings include periwinkle (Vinca spp.) and hostas (Hosta spp.).

Perennials

• Perennials add color to tiered gardens and, although they die back to the ground in winter, regrow in the spring for at least 3 years. Perennials come in a range of shapes and sizes. Planting taller species near the back of tiers and smaller species in front creates a layered look. For season-long color, choose species that bloom at different times. The bletilla hyacinth (Bletilla striata) blooms in the spring with white to dark-pink flowers. These 8- to 12-inch perennials prefer moist soil and partial shade. The threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata) blooms in the summer with bright-yellow flowers. It grows to 18 inches tall, prefers full sun and dry soil. For fall color, plant asters (Aster spp.). These perennials grow from 1 to 4 feet tall, bloom in the late summer and fall with purple-to-white blossoms and thrive in sunny, well-draining sites.

Shrubs

• Choose low, slow-growing shrubs for tiered gardens. Such species require less pruning and don’t spread aggressively. The Compacta glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora) slowly grows to 3 feet tall and tolerates severe pruning. It tolerates a range of soils, and sun to partial shade locations. Glossy abelias are semievergreen and bloom with white and pink flowers. Fill in shaded tiers with a dwarf aucuba (Aucuba japonica “Rozannie”). This 3-foot-tall evergreen has dark, variegated foliage and produces purple flowers. It prefers partial shade and fertile, well-draining soil.