Embankments and slopes can sooner or later slide down due to gravity. There are various ways of securing this. Depending on the type of substrate and the height, a decision must be made as to which fastening method is suitable. However, embankment reinforcements can do much more than protect the slope from slipping. Because they become a design element in the garden and a valuable habitat for insects and small animals. We will then introduce you to seven different variants.
Fix embankment
willow weave
The willow weave is one of the oldest methods of securing slopes and embankments. For this you need:
- Plant sticks, length about 60 centimeters
- Willow rods, length at least 180 centimeters
manual
- Remove leaves from willow branches and dry
- Drive plant stakes about 40 centimeters deep into the soil at a distance of 50 - 60 centimeters
- Braid willow branches around the wooden sticks
- Then plant the hillside with hardy shrubs
- Remove willow weave after three to four years
notice: The willow rods must be at least long enough to be braided around three wooden sticks. Alternatively, you can also use branches of the hazelnut bush.
After three to four years, the hardy trees have formed a stable network of roots and secure the embankment. 
spreading layer
The spread layer is traditionally used to secure banks in flood areas. For many years, the method has also been used to strengthen embankments and slopes. You need:
- Plant sticks, length about 60 centimeters
- willow branches capable of sprouting, about 1 to 2 years old
manual
- Drive wooden sticks into the ground one meter apart
- Lay the willow rods between the sticks so that they overlap
- Fasten rods with tension wire
- Cover with a 3 cm thick layer of soil
- Willow branches take root after six months and then sprout
- cut every now and then
- water when dry
notice: The spread layer is particularly suitable for securing the edges of slopes and embankments.
hedge bush cut
If you want to stabilize a less steep embankment, the hedge bushing is suitable. It is one of the most frequently used options for slope stabilization. Plants that are already rooted and sprouting shoots are combined for this purpose. You need:
- rooted plants (e.g. alder, willow, poplar)
- sprouting shoots (e.g. hazelnut, ash, hornbeam)
manual
- starting at the lower end of the slope, dig trenches about 1 meter deep parallel to the contour lines
- insert rooted and unrooted shoots crosswise vertically
- dig the next ditch while filling the previous ditch
- water when dry
notice: The trees and shrubs will then root after about four months.
fascines
The term "fascines" goes back to the Latin word "fascis", which means something like bundle. Because bundles of brushwood are used to prevent embankments from slipping. In forestry, fascines are used to prepare slopes for reforestation and to support the young plants in growing.
Fascines can be made from both dead and sprout wood. For this you need:
- Wooden stakes, diameter 8 to 10 centimeters, length about 80 centimeters
- Brushwood (e.g. birch, pine, spruce) or
- sprouting branches (e.g. willow, alder, hazelnut)
manual
- Dig about 30 centimeters deep trenches at a distance of 1.5 meters
- Bundle brushwood
- Connect bundles of brushwood to fascines about 3 meters long (diameter 30 centimeters)
- Lay fascines in the trenches
- cover with earth
- Drive wooden stakes into the fascines one meter apart
gabions
Gabions are stainless steel mesh baskets filled with stones. In contrast to solid walls, slope protection using gabions is considered to be more cost-effective. It can also be implemented quickly and easily and the water drainage is not obstructed. However, gabions are not only an excellent option for securing slopes, they are used with different fillings and in different shapes as a decorative element in garden design. Basalt, granite, dolomite or limestone are suitable for filling the baskets.
danger: Within residential areas, however, gabions on roads may only have a maximum height of one meter. Gabions from two meters high then require a permit from the building authority.
You need:
- Stone baskets and fillings or already filled stone baskets
manual
- Layer lattice baskets with stone filling against the slope
- green with climbing plants
Did you know that gabions were used for entrenchment in military conflicts in the Middle Ages? They were woven from willow and then filled with stones.
dry stone walls
From an ecological point of view, a particularly interesting option for slope protection is the dry stone wall. Because a well-designed dry stone wall offers small animals and insects an optimal habitat and looks very decorative. For this you need:
- Crushed stone and gravel for the foundation
- construction sand
- flat natural stones
- rubber mallet
manual
- dig a ditch 40 centimeters deep
- fill with crushed stone, compact with gravel and sand
- Put building sand over it
- set a row of large, flat stones
- Layer stones against the slope
- tap with a rubber mallet
- Align transverse joints horizontally
- fill larger gaps with small stones
- already planted when the wall is laid
notice: Dry stone walls can be erected up to a height of 80 centimeters without any mortar. You can buy suitable stones for this in a building materials store or at a nearby quarry, or you can collect them yourself.
plant stones
Planting stones are an effective way to also secure a slope. They are made of concrete. In specialist shops you will find a large selection of different shapes and sizes. Planting stones are already provided with teeth, so that the connection is also possible without mortar. We recommend fixing the first row with mortar.
Up to a height of one meter, plant stones can be placed on top of each other without any problems. If you are planning a higher wall of plant stones, a foundation is essential. You need:
- Concrete, crushed stone, gravel
- plant stones
- mortar
- rubber mallet
- level
- line
manual
- Dig a trench 40 centimeters deep for the foundation
- The width of the foundation should be 5 centimeters more than the width of the planting stones
- Fill in gravel up to 30 centimeters, compact
- Insert drainage
- Fill in 10 centimeters of concrete
- Insert plant stones
- Use spirit level and string for accurate alignment
- set up further rows of plant stones without mortar
- then fill individual stones with potting soil and plant
- Fill in the gap to the slope with gravel and compact
