Before & After: A Colorful Hillside Landscape with a Natural Boulder Retaining Wall

What was once an underused backyard hillside is now a colorful, layered garden filled with flowers, texture, and natural stone. For this hillside landscaping project in Canonsburg, PA, the homeowners wanted to bring more life to the slope while creating a defined planting area that worked with the property’s existing grade. Large natural boulders became the foundation for a retaining wall, and a thoughtful mix of flowering perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses created a pollinator-friendly garden designed to provide beauty throughout the growing season.

Homeowner: Tracey J.
Location: Canonsburg, PA

Project Timeline

Landscape Design Consultation: May 2024
Landscape Design Plan: Summer 2024
Installation: September 2024

Project Cost

Investment: $20,000

Project costs vary depending on site conditions, materials, plant selections, accessibility, and the scope of work. We share project investments in our Before & Afters to give homeowners a better understanding of what goes into a professionally designed and installed landscape.

The Challenge

This backyard had a slope that was ready for a little more attention, and a lot more color.

The homeowner wanted a hillside that was beautiful and useful, without adding maintenance headaches or crossing the property line. There also needed to be enough room around the house for the lawn mower to get through.

Instead of fighting the natural grade, we worked with it. Large natural boulders form a retaining wall at the base of the slope, creating a new planting area above. The stone adds structure, and the plants soften it and bring the hillside to life.

Project Goals

The homeowners’ vision centered around a few key goals:

• Add color and texture to the backyard
• Create a natural-looking stone wall and planter along the hillside
• Use large natural boulders to define and stabilize the base of the slope
• Add colorful, pollinator-friendly plants with lots of flowers
• Create seasonal interest with a thoughtful mix of perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses
• Maintain at least four feet of clearance around the house for lawn mowing
• Keep all plantings within the property’s boundaries
• Restore the surrounding lawn after construction

Scope & Solutions

Our landscape design-build team carefully worked with the existing slope instead of completely reshaping it. Here’s how it came together:

A Natural Boulder Retaining Wall

Large natural boulders were installed at the base of the hillside to create a natural-looking retaining wall and define the new planting bed.

The boulders were set into the hillside using compacted gravel for stability, creating a strong foundation that feels like it has always been part of the property.

We also kept at least four feet of clearance around the house, so mowing stays easy.

A New Hillside Planting Bed

With the boulders in place, we added colorful plantings above the wall to soften the stone and create layers of height, texture, and seasonal interest.

The planting area was carefully laid out so that all plantings remained within seven feet of the base of the slope and stayed within the property line. The planting plan includes a mix of native and pollinator-friendly plants, along with shrubs and ornamental grasses that add structure and texture. Butterfly weed, coneflower, anise hyssop, asters, and black-eyed Susans bloom in succession, attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Restoring the Lawn

After the retaining wall and plantings were complete, we repaired the surrounding turf with fresh sod. The result was a clean, seamless transition between the new garden to the existing lawn.

Plant List

Perennials

• String Theory Amsonia — 3
• October Skies Aster — 9
• PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower — 10
• Cat’s Pajamas Catmint — 11
• Blue Fortune Anise Hyssop — 6
• Blue False Indigo — 9
• Zagreb Threadleaf Coreopsis — 4
• Butterfly Weed — 8
• Viette’s Little Suzy Black-Eyed Susan — 6

Shrubs

• Strongbox Inkberry Holly — 3
• Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac — 5

Ornamental Grass

• Standing Ovation Little Bluestem — 6

Favorite Features

Natural Stone That Feels at Home

One of our favorite parts of this project is the use of large natural boulders. Rather than looking like a wall that was simply added to the landscape, the stone gives the hillside a natural, organic feel while providing the structure the planting area needed.

Flowers for Pollinators

Coneflowers, butterfly weed, anise hyssop, asters, catmint, black-eyed Susans, and other flowering plants mean plenty of blooms for pollinators throughout the growing season.

Color & Texture Through the Seasons

The planting design goes beyond flowers. Different foliage shapes, ornamental grasses, evergreen structure, and varying bloom times help keep the hillside interesting as the seasons change.

A Landscape Designed for Real Life

The best landscapes are beautiful and work for the people who live there. Room for lawn equipment, respect for the property line, and plants that fit the site were all important parts of the design.

The result is a hillside that feels intentional without feeling overly formal. It’s colorful, welcoming, and will continue to mature and change with each season.

At Bedner’s Farm & Greenhouse, our landscape design-build team creates custom landscapes throughout Canonsburg and the South Hills of Pittsburgh, including hillside landscaping, natural stone and retaining walls, planting design, and pollinator-friendly gardens. 

Interested in working with our team? Schedule your consultation here.