Installing pavers on a hill?

Question

i have this hill where I want to put some type of stepping stones so that when my thyme eventually covers the entire hill I can have places to step so that I can weed. It's a pretty steep slope so not sure if I should just take regular pavers and put it with the slope? or take regular pavers and kinda make it flat to step on. Or take bigger stone like retaining wall stones and make flat to step on but into the ground so it will stay? Any suggestions? My pictures are here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lovellal/BackYard

Answer 1

Considering the pitch of the slope, I would highly suggest digging into the slope and making the pavers relatively level.  Don't make them perfectly level.  Slope them down the hill so they will shep any water that gets on them.  The angle does not need to be very much, only so the lower side is about a quarter of an inch lower than the higher side.

If you were to just lay them parallel to the slope, they are likely to slide off.

Nice garden.

Answer 2

My concern on this slope would be losing your balance and tumbling down and off the end.

I would create a flat walkway 1/2 way up, in a sense dividing the planting area in two. You can walk on the wall to weed and maintain the lower half, and walk on the walkway 1/2 way up to maintain the top half.

It doesn't have to be too dramatic, but at least wide enough to walk across. Maybe 12 or 16" wide pavers.

Answer 3

Make the pavers flat to step on.  You can create several  levels ...which will give you both planting areas & flat areas to walk on.  

If you use a variety of materials & textures,  it'll add more interest.

This video shows how to install walkways & planting areas on a steep slope...creating different levels to reduce the slope & to provide planting & walking areas. I see a lot of similarities in your photos & this plan:

http://revver.com/video/529806/landscapi...

The beginning of this video shows pavers being installed. The video also shows the creative use of boulders, slabs, etc. to make stable areas & retaining walls to use for planting areas on a hill & for areas to walk on.  The deeper you sink the slabs & large stones in the ground, the more stable they should  be:

http://www.landscapingvideos.com/videos/...

From your photos I can see that you have an excellent start, & some great ground cover plants to help prevent erosion :)

I really think that the videos can give you a lot of good ideas.

This gardener formed retaining walls or rock stairways out of large rocks & boulders to grow a variety of herbs & plants...including thyme. Scroll down page for photos:

http://my.gardenguides.com/blogs/divaqs/...

Another terracing method used to make level changes to decrease steep slopes & make planting areas.

A terraced hillside:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Hillside_Landsca...

Here's some more ideas for landscaping a hillside:

http://john-gilbert.co.uk/2007/10/

Beautiful, successful planting on a hill:

http://www.gardeners.com/Success+Story+L...

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/hillsid...

Good luck!!!   Hope this is helpful.

Answer 4

I'd prefer seeing the wall stone up there, as a matching compliment to the wall, rather than something 'different' like flat pavers... with wall stones, you're right, you can bury part of them so they stick in place, and have the odd face point up or out or however it looks best to you.... in fact, I'd like to see a couple larger boulders placed here and there, perhaps with the look of 'a bunch of them just fell off the truck'..... they'd make a great backdrop for something a little higher than the thymes and low growers...maybe a daffodil or small fountain grass like 'bunny'.... just for a little height and eye candy?....... lovely garden!!...