Nobody enjoys mowing a steep lawn. Transform this hillside with terraced beds on both sides of stone stairs rather than turf grass. For year-round texture and color, fill the tiers with ...

When Esther Hayden moved into her Seven Oaks home in 1990, the hillside in her backyard — similar to many found throughout Rancho Bernardo — had mostly ground cover and was spotted with a few trees.

Swarthout’s terraces alternate between planted tiers and walking tiers, with steps connecting them all together. Knowing that she wanted more than just a planted hillside, she made sure to make the ...