Converting a Hilly Backyard into an Outdoor Living Space (Ft. Thomas)

A crushed stone patio and firepit with native plant landscaping in Cincinnati — AFTER: A crushed stone patio and natural stone fire pit create an inviting hangout space with a backdrop of native ferns and shrubs

“The backyard looks like a different place—a place where we want to be.”

— Paul S.

The Challenge

We live in a region of hills. This Ft. Thomas family wanted to enjoy their backyard rather than just struggle to mow its steep slopes.

A hilly backyard transformed with a crushed stone patio, firepit, and native plant landscaping — BEFORE & AFTER: Before, a steep hillside made it difficult to mow and access the backyard, which mostly sat unused. Now, a gentle path lined with native plants leads to an inviting firepit on a crushed stone patio.

The design goals included creating an outdoor living space and developing the steepest areas into garden beds. The desire to have a gentle walk to the bottom of the yard without twisting an ankle was also important for accessing the new bee hives in this area.

Challenges included restrictive slopes, a healthy deer population and sewer/electric easements.

The Transformation

a native landscape design in Cincinnati

A native plant-centric design replaced difficult-to-mow sections of the yard with slope-stabilizing, low-maintenance plants. These plants also are deer-resistant, increasing their survival rates in an area with a large deer population.

A large, crushed stone patio and firepit create an inviting outdoor hangout space that is now easily accessible thanks to a gentle path leading down the hill.

Dry laid stone wall hardscaping in Cincinnati — The dry-laid patio stone wall was constructed without mortar, allowing it to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of our winters and allowing water to pass through. Timeless beauty, built to last.

The Takeaway

Hillsides can pose unique landscape challenges, but these are by no means insurmountable. It’s possible to transform a hilly yard into a beautiful, functional, low-maintenance, and accessible outdoor living space.

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