Landscaping in Wilmington starts at the fall line. Above it, lots tilt, rock shows through, and water runs down the hill into the uphill wall of the house. Below it, yards on the river side stay heavier and wetter, with less pitch and more lingering damp. A shaded hill garden and a small brick-side court are both common, and they are not the same project. If water moves toward the foundation, say that first.
Mature trees are the canopy on the hills: shade, leaves in every gutter, and roots in walks and laterals. Lower down, the yards are smaller and the soil stays cold and wet longer. Moss on the shady side of a stone wall is ordinary. Ivy on brick holds moisture against the house. A lawn that looks acceptable can still be delivering water to the sill. Describe the grade in plain words.
Retaining walls and steps cut into the slope are part of many hill properties. When they lean, the soil behind them is part of the call. Down on the flat, the problem is more often a downspout that ends at the back step and a yard with nowhere to send the water. Irrigation should not soak a foundation and needs a shutdown before a freeze. Say mow, wall, drain, tree, or planting so the visit is the right size.
Debris from a hillside tree has to come down a steep drive or a narrow street. A small city yard near the rivers may have only a side gate. Do not describe a rock slope as if it were a level suburban lawn. Salt is not the story here the way it is on the bay. Shade, slope, and the seam where groundwater seeps out of the hill are the story.
Walk the uphill wall and the downspout before you call. Landscaping in Wilmington should keep hill water out of the house and make a sloped or a river-flat yard usable. Call the number on this page.