Ah, the joys of owning a home on a sloping plot – the incredible views, the cozy nooks and crannies, the challenge of taming the wild terrain. When my husband and I first laid eyes on our new property in Temecula, California, we were instantly smitten. The panoramic vistas, the lush greenery, and the promise of a laidback, sustainable lifestyle – it was all too tempting to resist.
Conquering the Slope: A Gardener’s Tale
But as we soon discovered, our picturesque plot came with its fair share of obstacles. The steep, rocky slopes presented a daunting task for any would-be landscape designer or avid gardener. How were we going to transform this wild, untamed land into a functional, visually appealing oasis? The answer, my friends, lay in the humble yet mighty terrace.
Permies.com shared a wealth of knowledge on the art of terrace-building, and I was determined to put it to good use. Sculpting those gentle, stepped platforms out of the unforgiving slopes was no easy feat, but with a little elbow grease and a whole lot of determination, we managed to carve out a series of usable, productive spaces.
The Perennial Terrace
The first terrace we tackled was what we affectionately dubbed the “Perennial Terrace.” Nestled snugly behind the shed, this flat, rectangular plot was our starting point for growing delicious, nutrient-dense foods. Using a DIY raised bed kit, I was able to quickly and easily create a series of 2×1 meter beds, which I then filled with a rich, composted medley of soil and organic matter. This gave us an extra 8 square meters of growing space, perfect for housing a diverse array of perennial plants, herbs, and even a few dwarf fruit trees.
The Pumpkin Playground
Ah, but the real adventure lay in the terrace below the Perennial Terrace and the shed. This relatively flat, sloping area was the perfect canvas for our wild child crops – pumpkins and sweet potatoes. I started by sheet-mulching the entire area, then planted my pumpkin and sweet potato seedlings, letting them roam free. And roam they did, scrambling up the rock wall and down around the water tanks, producing a bountiful harvest of over 100 kilograms of pumpkins! Despite their mischievous antics, I couldn’t help but admire their resilience and zest for life.
The Food Forest Oasis
But the true pièce de résistance was the transformation of the lower slope into a lush, multi-layered food forest. This area had been a weedy, rocky nightmare, but with the help of some heavy machinery and a whole lot of creativity, my husband and I were able to create a stunning, functional terrace complete with a pickleball court, raised planters, and a thriving food forest.
Garden Culture Magazine provided invaluable insights on the art of terrace gardening, and we put them to good use. Concrete blocks were used to create the main retaining walls, while smaller besser blocks formed the low walls and planter boxes. The result? A visually appealing, low-maintenance oasis that not only provides us with a wealth of fresh, homegrown produce but also offers a fun, active space for us to enjoy.
Taming the Orchard Slope
Of course, our journey to transform our sloping plot didn’t end there. The steepest part of our property, the fruit tree mini-orchard, presented its own unique set of challenges. The clay soil, prone to drying out and becoming rock-hard during the summer months, required a delicate touch. Mulching around the trees and installing a rainwater harvesting system have been key to keeping our beloved fruit trees healthy and productive.
The Robotic Gardener
And let’s not forget about the verges – those pesky, steep slopes that seemed to defy all attempts at mowing. But leave it to my ingenious husband to come up with a solution. Enter Tom, our trusty Husqvarna robotic mower, who effortlessly navigates the steep terrain, keeping our verges looking pristine no matter the weather.
So, if you find yourself the proud owner of a sloping plot, don’t despair! With a little creativity, elbow grease, and a dose of good old-fashioned determination, you too can transform those challenging slopes into a vibrant, functional, and visually stunning landscape. Just take a page out of our book and let the terraces be your guide. Who knows, you might even end up with your very own robotic gardener to keep things tidy!
And if you’re ever in the Temecula area, be sure to swing by A1 Landscape Construction – we’d be more than happy to share our tips and tricks for taming those tricky slopes.
