A flat and level garden is ideal for many because it is easy to maintain. However, this wish cannot always be realized, and a garden with an embankment has to be made do with. And this piece of garden often poses a big problem when it comes to design. One form of slope design is slope stabilization. It not only serves to protect against slipping, but can also become a real eye-catcher.
Slope protection in the garden
There are a number of things to consider when building a slope reinforcement. The main points to think about beforehand are:
- proper planning
- stability of the wall
- Drainage or proper water drainage
planning
This point includes:
- wall height
- execution of the wall
- Water situation on the slope
If the wall is more than 120 centimeters high, the wall must be planned by a specialist, since a standard safety certificate must be drawn up.
stability of the wall
In order for the wall to have sufficient stability, you need to pay attention to the slope of the slope or embankment and the length of the inclined surface. The steeper or longer the slope, the more stable the slope protection must be.
drainage
So that the water can drain off the slope, the slope reinforcement needs drainage. This is dimensioned according to the prevailing water situation on the slope. Since incorrectly planned drainage represents a major risk, it should be planned and executed professionally.
dry stone walls
Dry stone walls consist of natural or concrete stones, the latter being very similar in appearance to those of natural stones. They are solutions
- for smaller embankments with a height of less than one meter
- Appearance: quarry stone masonry
- suitable natural stones: sandstone, shell limestone, greywacke, quartzite
- Colours: reddish, yellowish, grey
Plants for the dry wall
A small selection for sunny and dry locations is for example:
- thyme (thymus)
- Alyssum
- Blue Cushion (Aubrieta)
A small selection for shady and damp locations is for example:
- True Ferns (Polypodiopsida)
- Cranesbill (Geranium)
- Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
- Larkspur (Corydalis)
gabions
Gabions are a frame or basket made of metal. They are filled with different materials.
- for slopes of different heights
- Baskets can be stacked
- Ensure good water permeability
- easy to use
- extremely durable
There are no limits to creativity when filling gabions. When securing a slope, however, you should make sure that the filling has the necessary counterweight to the slope. Examples of fillings are:
- stones
- boulders
- granite
- marble
- plastic bottle
- plastic balls
tip: You can achieve a special effect if you integrate a background light into the gabions.
Plant gabions
There are various solutions for greening the metal baskets. One possibility is to entwine the gabions. To do this, they simply plant climbing plants in front of the baskets. The metal framework serves as a climbing aid for the plants. Another option is planting from above. The top layer of earth comes into the gabions. Now you can place upright or overhanging plants in the metal baskets. But you can also embed plants in pots in the gabions. If you decide to plant from above, you need to make sure that you use gabions without a cover to attach the slope.
Plug-in wall system (Stackton)
The plug-in wall system (SMS) is a cheap alternative to conventional wall systems.
- Available in different variations: smooth, tumbled, split, brushed
- Colours: anthracite grey, retro white, silver grey
- ecological product for fixing embankments
- Wall height for a retaining wall up to 260 centimeters possible
Slope stabilization with wood
- not suitable for all slopes (maximum: 150 centimeters)
- palisades, posts or sleepers
- protect against damage on the slope side with bubble wrap or heavy industrial felt
- does not last forever (natural material)
notice: Railway sleepers used to stabilize slopes are now banned.
acacia honeycomb
- Acacia honeycomb = frame made of acacia wood
- are filled with crushed stone, gravel or humus after nailing
- durable acacia wood
embankment stones
- not suitable for every slope
- pay special attention to the statics
- professional backup required
Embankment stones come in different types:
- Natural stones or natural stone blocks
- Bricks (with or without tongue and groove connection)
- decorative stones
- palisade stones
- Trapezoidal stones, also available as plant stones
- Multi stones, also available as plant stones
plant rings
- Appearance: natural effect in contrast to a monolithic wall
- Arrangement: stair-like or straight construction
- Shapes: semicircular, square, wavy, rounded
- Colors: various; natural nuances: beige, brown, brick red, gray (concrete look)
tip: If you already have a floor made of paving stones, then it is advisable to choose planting rings that visually resemble them.
greening
- Plants that tolerate drought
- perennial plants with different flowering periods
- Combination of flowers, shrubs, ornamental grasses, ground cover, etc.
- Climbing plants such as: wild wall vine (Parthenocissus qinquefolia), clematis, wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) or climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
- Stone plants: Sedum species, blue cushion (Aubrieta), houseleek (Sempervivum)
- Ground cover: phlox, blue cushion (Aubrieta), cotoneaster (cotoneaster), boxwood
scarf stones
- formwork blocks made of concrete
- Easy to build the slope protection
- planting possible
plant
But in addition to artificial elements, you can also just use plants to stabilize the slope. A mixture of different plants is ideal.
tip: However, if you only want to plant ground covers, then you should combine them after different flowering periods.
wildflowers
Wildflowers, while a beautiful focal point, should be given careful consideration for the embankment as the slope will require weeding for the first two years. Therefore, they are more suitable for less steep slopes. For lean soils and dry locations, for example, the following are suitable:
- Variegated Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
- thyme (thymus)
- Kidney vetch (Anthyllis)
- Carthusian carnation (Dianthus carthusianorum)
- Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
- Bedstraw (Galium verum)
ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses are ideal for greening slopes. Examples of suitable grasses are:
- Japanese bloodgrass (Imperata cylindrica) with bright red colors in summer and autumn
- Blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
- Bearskin Grass (Festuca scoparia)
- Mosquito grass (Bouteloua gracilis)
- Japan mountain grass (Hakonechloa macra)
blue fescue
roses
Among the variety of rose species, the following are particularly good on slopes:
- Potato Rose (Rosa Rugosa)
- Burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia)
- Glossy rose (Rosa nitida)
Plants for shady locations
Since not every slope necessarily has a location in full sun, you will find a selection of plants for shady locations below:
- Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Lily cluster (Liriope spicata)
- Siberian dwarf arborvitae (Microbiota decussata)
- Waldstenia (Trefoil Goldberry, Waldstenia ternata)