Low lying ground cover ideas

[Kaymo]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for evergreen low lying ground cover plants for a steep slope. I have quite a large area on a steep slope and I have put in rocks and supports in a lot of it to reduce the slope but there are some areas which are not practical to do anything with.

I am looking for plants that are there all year round, both because the slope is directly facing our window and because I want something low lying that will hold the soil together and stop it eroding in winter and baking in summer. London pride that I moved here from the front garden has worked fantastically, and I have some sedum that is doing not too bad but just looking for other similar low lying plants that might work well. A lot of clay in the soil and in central Scotland so needs to be hardy!

Thanks.

 

[Deleted2797112]

The possibilities are endless. Heather seems an obvious one! Vinca major or minor (periwinkles), thyme, ivy, aubretia, perennial alyssum, mint, low-growing forms of cotoneaster / potentilla / fuschia, hypericum, hardy geraniums, pulmonaria etc. There are prostrate conifers - I have one growing down a bank and tumbling over a wall, it's very effective ground cover.

I'd also do swathes of bulbs - bluebells and snowdrops - that will multiply and look after themselves.

 

[Kaymo]

Thanks for the suggestions ceres. I already have some heathers, but they haven't done too well, i presume its the soil ph or type. Will look out for the plants you suggested.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Most heathers like an acidic soil (<6.5) but there are some that will do well in more neutral/alkaline conditions - Erica carnea, Erica x darleyensis, Erica erigena, Erica manipuliflora & Erica vagans.

 

[r896neo]

cotoneaster varieties are the most common choice for areas like that. other common and therefore cheap amenity shrubs such as lonicera nitida, portugal laure, brachyglottis senecio (if its in sun) etc are usually good and if its a large area to plant you can wait til winter you can all of the above either bare root or rootballed which makes them a good bit cheaper.

Is it sun or shade and dry or damp?

 

[Kaymo]

Thanks for the suggestions r896neo. Its roughly west facing so gets a fair bit of sun from about midday - when there is actually some sun that is, over the last few days it is getting baked and getting crumbly, but if we get a sudden rainfall it will wash the soil down hence the need for tight low lying plants.

There are some trees above so some parts are shaded.

There are a good few plants on it already. A number of heathers, a good bit of london pride, sedum, euonymus, ivy and some other stuff that I dont know the name of - showing my amateurism when it comes to plants there!!! Its a fairly large area so there are still some bits that are still bare and I was looking for some alternatives to what I already have. Looks like I have got a good selection to go on from above

 

[Deleted2797112]

You could also try the RHS Plant Selector. Just skip over any criteria you're not sure of.