Steel-Walled Terracing Marvel

This stunning CorTen retaining wall ages gracefully with time, burnishing to loveable deep rust that perfectly sets off the oversized accent boulders and popping yellow plantings. Avalon Northwest Landscape, from Seattle, Washington, has created this contemporary hillside design.

Tuscan Flair Terrace

DeMaria Landtech out of San Diego, California has created a sultry Mediterranean stone terrace with alternating large paver terraces and smaller mixed stone steps. Punctuated with verdant green grass between the pavers, this gently sloping hillside design also features a paver lined walkway surrounded by lush plantings.

Wooden Accents on Grassy Tiers

Utilizing naturally sloped grass tiers as stairs edged by a weathered wood front, ecofriendly staircase shines surrounded by beds that are heavily planted with flowers, ferns, and interspersed with oversized boulders. Greenleaf Services, out of Linville, North Carolina, has created an abundantly full border of greenery.

Creating a Focal Point

Make a stunning gate the focal point of your hillside with a contemporary stone staircase leading up to a custom gate. This design by Plusen Landscape Architects from the DC Metro area uses warm toned stone and bright floral plantings to create a notable but relaxed hillside design.

Private, Natural Oasis

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design out of Portland, Oregon, uses natural white stone and casual lines to create a private, tree-covered space at the midway up a hillside property. Larger white stones create a retaining wall while smaller ones become a steppingstone pathway leading to a flagstone seating area.

Stately Staircase Hillside Planting

A traditional hillside planting combined with a regal stone and brick staircase showcase a grand estate entrance in this design created by AHBL, in Seattle, Washington. Oversized stone and boxwoods share the landscape with pops of color from cheerful tulips in this design.

Contemporary Steel and Concrete

Modern materials can be warm and inviting, like this inventive design in Dallas, Texas, from The Garden Design Studio. Split level CorTen steel terraces shift into long concrete contemporary steps placed distantly in lush grass. Monochromatic groupings of plants highlight the bold lines while dark gravel provides a modern base.

Contemporary Pavers and Stone Stairs

Feldman Architecture out of San Francisco, California, designed this multi-surface stair and terrace landscape. Large, flat pavers on a terraced area midway up a hillside landscape give way to a traditional stone staircase surrounded by natural plantings.

Offset Contemporary Hillside

Using a modern take on hillside staircases, KAA Design, in Los Angeles, California, elevates concrete stairs through an offset design pattern. This steep hillside can be climbed on these extra-wide stairs that are interleaved with natural grass and low plantings. This shady landscape also has lower-light loving plants surrounding the modern slope.

Drought-tolerant Hillside

The GEL: Griffin Enlight Landscape designers out of Los Angeles, California, have created a perfect layered hillside design that combines grassy, natural stairs with stark contemporary stairs. Flanked by full-sun loving plantings, this hillside landscape also uses interesting circular pavers.

Stone Wall with Cottage Feel

Stacked stones create curvy steps and wide terraces in this cottage-inspired design from San Diego, California, by The Design Build Company. Bluestone steps are lit up alongside large boulders, creating a space for traditional cottage garden plants on both sides of the stairs.

Beachy Stone Pathway

Using the islands as inspiration, the Island Gardens Company from Seattle, Washington, has created a relaxed stone pathway on this hillside by the sea. Loosely placed stones act as steps down the low grade slope, ending in a seating area surrounded by gorgeously blooming flowers.