A slope in your backyard may seem like a major hassle, especially when the rain water washes away the soil. However, a hillside in your backyard can be a great opportunity to create a terrace garden. Building a garden on terrace or a series of terraces will help you make usable space out of your sloped backyard area.

How to Build a Terrace Garden

Typically, terrace gardening requires that you use some type of material, such as stone or timber, to create separate levels in your garden. The amount and depth of your terrace garden’s levels will depend on the height and the slope of your hillside. You’ll need to determine the slope and height of your hill using stakes and string to take accurate measurements. Here are some guidelines on how to do this:

• Place a small stake at the top of the hill, and a longer stake at the bottom of the hill.
• Tie two strings on the small stake that are flush with the ground.
• Tie one to the bottom of the longer stake, and one that comes straight out horizontally.
• Measure the strings and use these figured to determine the slope of your hill.

Once you’ve determined where the terrace garden’s first level should be, use tall stakes to mark the level wall and then mark on the stakes where the wall will extend to. Now, you’re ready to build the first level:

• Dig a trench deep enough to hold your retaining wall material and then pack it with a hand tamp.
• Add some sand to the bottom of the trench and make sure it’s level.
• Use a level string to mark between the stakes where the height of the wall will be.
• Place your retaining wall materials in the trench and layer them until you’ve reached your desired height.
• Pack the back with soil to hold the retaining walls in place.

Plan more terraces for a steeper hill. Before you begin building your terrace garden, make sure to check with your city’s building codes–your terrace gardens may be limited by local rules.

Additional Terrace Gardening Tips

Owners of terrace gardens have several different terrace gardening options. You can use each terrace garden’s level as a traditional flower bed and include typical plants. Alternatively, you can decorate your garden terrace with crawling and hanging plants. If you go for this second option, your plants will grow past the retaining wall and create a wonderful cascading effect on your terrace garden. Browse landscaping magazines for more ideas of how to accentuate your hillside garden on terrace space.