My front yard is a huge slope and is, as you can imagine, a real treat to mow. We are wanting to plant some sort of ground cover on about the top 1/3 and accent with other plants but have no idea how to shape the bed or what plants to use. It gets morning to mid-afternoon sun, and I think I'm in Zone 6.
Have any of you undertaken a similar project and, if so, could you post some ideas? If you have pictures, that would be even better!
posted
I have a slope too. I've been working on terracing mine because I am broke and slow moving so the project is taking forever lol. I think their are some pictures down in frugal gardener or landscape but it was from earlier this summer so you will have to look back father than 10 days on the little counter located towards the top of the rooms.
There is a thyme that is called walk-on-me that will work as a ground cover in the area you are discussing. And it smells good when you walk on it too. There is a phlox that is very good grown over a slope but I've forgotten what the actual type is called. My memory is very very bad.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.75.88
posted
TK, thanks for the helpful hints. I have seen that thyme and considered using it, even though we wouldn't be walking on it. Maybe I'll get out there and stomp around every so often just to smell it. We may have to build a retaining wall or something. Better start saving now!
Plants: 4 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 2004
| Seeded: 69.38.78.222
posted
It's interesting working with a slope. Usually a semi-aggressive ground cover would work really well until you mention wanting to put other plants in there as points of interest.
Having to consider that you are not wanting to get in there and weed because it would be a worse pain that mowing but you don't want the ground cover to over take the plants you put in there for interest either. Plus there is the desire to have the plant do errosion control for you as well. either that or use some of that material or even some of that fast drying concrete type stuff. That can make for some very interesting gardening on a slope. Using it you can build a waterfall with bog and have aggressive plants galore because each has it's own little hole to grow in. I wish I could remember what it was called. Someone did it to there front yard and posted a picture but I can't remember where or what it was called grrrrrrrh. And you could have hanging vines comming down from the top creating shady spots where you could do something that required heavy misting/humidity and shade.
Oh o, I'm on a roll here. Better stop before I scare you away.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.195.84
posted
Haha! Yeah, that might be a little much for my front yard, but I certainly appreciate the input. I need all the help I can get!
Plants: 4 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 2004
| Seeded: 69.38.78.222
posted
I am using Houttuynia cordata variegata / Chameleon Plant and daylilies on my slope it is not grown in yet so it is a work in progress. The color this summer was so pretty. It was almost like flowers.
This is the Chameleon Plant that is an agressive ground cover but it is not agressive enough to kill the daylily and the color is so pretty.
posted
Cinta, I want YOUR yard! This is gorgeous! I don't know what the rest of your yard looks like, but in this photo the colors & textures blend in so well with each other that it looks like you have a nature-walk PARK!
In the lower left corner, what is that plant? Please don't tell me it's a weed, cuz I like it... although I'm learning that most of the plants I like turn out to be weeds! (I suppose that's OK though, cuz weeds are definitely low maintenance!)
posted
Thank you Patty, I try really hard to make it look pretty.
The plant in the corner is not a weed. LOL It is Sedum Brilliant. It has very pretty succulent foilage in the summer and in the fall it blooms a Brilliant Pink/Purple. On the right in the corner is some Ribbon grass. I am trying to plant this hillside with aggressive plants.
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Maybe I'll get out there and stomp around every so often just to smell it. We may have to build a retaining wall or something. Better start saving now!
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Printer-friendly view of this garden