There is a native Pachysandra, Pachysandra procumbens, but I don't know if it is evergreen and it would probably be hard to find.

Juniperus horizontalis is a native evergreen groundcover. It does best in full sun though. Sedges might be a good bet. Something like Carex pennsylvanica.

If you go with taller forbs or shrubs there should be plenty of natives that would work without altering the soil. Viburnums come to mind.

This seems fairly shaded. American ginger and sweet woodruff come to my mind for shade. If you'd like something taller, there is a native grass, Bottlebrush grass, that thrives in partial shade.

Geranium maculatum forms a nice groundcover and can be mowed after it blooms in spring, then will regrow a leafy groundcover until frost.

Wild red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) can be sheared after bloom the same way.

If "partial shade" is a good description of your area, then a look at plants native to savanna areas is a good way to dream.

You might consider sedges native to your area.

New jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) will do well inpart shade, needs some sun.

The Connecticut Botanical society has nice descriptions of these flowers.

I always have a hard time recommending just one - mixed plantings are so beautiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elymus hystrix USDA plants database

Thanks very much for your follow-up posts! I think a mixed planting is the way to go here. It will give us the chance to see what thrives the best, and I agree with you asters that mixed plantings are beautiful.

Now that I think about it some more, a mixed planting may also work best because the sun aspects of this area are very mixed, as shown in photo below taken at about 1:30 pm. There is definitely midday sun in the spot, but only in the middle area. Maybe we could try some sun/clay soil plants tolerant of dry conditions there in that middle part.

The Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pennsylvanica) is definitely a possibility if we want to re-invigorate the lawn in this spot--thanks for the suggestion lycopus. Maybe we'll re-seed the rest of our lawn with it!

Mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) seems like the one that would work (think the other viburnums need more moisture), and it would do okay in the clay soil. Our local cooperative extension also recommended Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). The birds will love us when we're done planting this spot I'm sure.

Wild red columbine is a great suggestion--hadn't thought of that--maybe up in that shaded corner, or down under the shade of the spruce.

I think the ginger, native pachysandra, and wild geranium would grow if we amend the soil a bit in the shady parts. Could also do heucheras there with minimal amending.

I think we have a plan. Thanks again everyone!

Native spiderworts, gingers, and violets come to mind. Virginia Creeper can be sort of a ground cover. I planted some Ohio Spider wort and it's done o.k. Native grasses also come to mind. Maybe experiment with a few different things and see what works before investing in covering the whole area.

Vinca and japanese pachysandra would do well but you might regret that decision if you like natives or if you ever change your mind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ohio Spiderwort

I need to take a picture for you of our front flower bed. I have a "method" for native "planting"... its pretty easy!!! Just let it grow and pull anything out you don't like. I have all kinds of beautiful native plants growing and they all just volunteered, so it was free. It does take the second year to get rid of some things that you decide you don't like the first year cause you won't know if you like them or not sometimes until they reach full growth. My flower bed is coming along beautifully, did the same thing out back, but its meadow grass, also just as beautiful.

This is our backyard meadow that we just let grow... its so pretty... and virtually weed free!!!

{{gwi:664079}}

SCENIC PLANNER MAKES THE CASE AGAINST ALIENS

June 11, 2009 (CHARLESTON, SC) -- If we fill our parks, lawns or scenic byways with non-native plant material, we might as well pave them over, according to planner Edwin Gardner of Heritage Strategy Group in Charleston, South Carolina.

Gardner is an advocate of the concepts Douglas W. Tallamy discusses in his book 'Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.'

In a recent post to Heritage Strategy GroupÂs blog -- heritagestrategy.wordpress.com -- Gardner says he agrees with TallamyÂs central point 'that we owe it to the environment to plant only native species, which provide food for our increasingly beleaguered wildlife and avoid apocalyptic risks to the ecosystem.'

What are native species? Gardner agrees with Tallamy who defines Ânative as 'having the ability to support a large number of insect and animal species.' Exotic plants brought from other countries that have been 'naturalized' here even for hundreds of years are not native, he insists, since they canÂt support native insect life.

For example: 'Our North American caterpillars have not developed the ability to eat leaves of most alien plants,' Gardner says. While that may be music to the ears of nurseries and landscapers who seekout insect-resistant plant material, to the natural ecosystem chain, itÂs disastrous.

'In fact, the caterpillar is a most generous beast,' Gardner says. 'It provides food for most birds, especially during critical nesting periods, and forms the base of a food pyramid thatÂs critical to the whole ecosystem. A yard full of foreign nursery stock may look green and natural, but it might as well be paved with asphalt if youÂre a caterpillar, or an animal thatÂs looking to feed on one.'

As a heritage planner, Edwin Gardner develops recreational areas and scenic byways so that growth and prosperity do not interfere with the cultural, historical and natural heritage of the effected areas. That mission drew him to Douglas TallamyÂs book.
'As we develop byway beautification plans or park management plans or anything that involves plantings in a developed area, we have a responsibility to urge that non-native species be eliminated and replaced with true native species,' he insists.

Gardner cites several examples of 'environmental destruction wrought by alien organisms and invasive plants that were brought from overseas to beautify America.' To read the entire discussion, visit heritagestrategy.wordpress.com and click on ' A New Philosophy on Landscaping.'

Here is a link that might be useful: Heritage Strategy Group's blog

You might consider rat-stripper, Paxistima canbyi. I have not grown it but always been intrigued by it. Seems like it would manage the conditions you have but is described as slow growing.

I was going to recommend lowbush blueberry too--but it looks like I'll just have to second it.

My only concern is that it might not have enough sun, but I expect it will be fine.

...and since you decided on a mixed planting, may I suggest Little Bluestem Grass (Andropogon scoparius...I think it has been reclassified). It should do well in the soil conditions you described. It has great winter color.

Good luck.

David

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Someone on the Moss forum was helpful enough to tentatively identify a close-up photo of the moss growing on this slope as a Brachythecium species of moss, which apparently will grow on clay soil like ours.

We did a PH and nutrient test of the soil on this slope with one of those cheapo home tester kits, and the results indicated the soil was alkaline, and nutrient depleted. I've heard the cheapo home tester kits aren't all that accurate, but we've yet to persuade our local cooperative extension to come out and do a test.

Even so, keeping the possibility of alkalinity in mind, we decided to test one Eastern Red Columbine in this spot and see what happens. We removed the tiny patch of Japanese Pachysandra, and it is now in alien plant heaven. The Japanese Pachysandra did not seem to be thriving all that well on this slope anyway, which makes me think the PH test may have been accurate, and the soil is indeed alkaline.

Not in a rush to plant this spot. Would rather see what's up with the slope's difficult conditions before planting a bunch of things that could very well die.

It could be the whole slope needs to be dug out and replaced with more acidic, nutrient-rich soil to get anything to grow on it. A project for next year! It'll be interesting to see if the Columbine likes it the way it is now. Unfortunately, a lot of the native plants that do OK in alkaline soil are native to Texas, not our area.

In the meantime, we're enjoying our Joe Pye Weed and Beebalm (planted in more PH-friendly and fertile areas of the garden), which are just getting ready to bloom.

Thanks again everybody.

Phlox subulata would work fine there. I don't know if you could find the native species, but there are many cultivars such as 'Emerald Cushion Blue'. Groundcover, evergreen (everblue?), very easy, low maintenance, grows in alkaline, dry soil, sun to part shade. Oh yes, and long-blooming. Much, much preferable to vinca or Japanese spurge. Smallish shrubs such as potentilla fruticosa or its cultivars such as 'Yellow Gem' should work well, too.

Thanks I'll keep Phlox subulata in mind. We have it growing elsewhere in our garden and do love it. Cinquefoil is a good idea too... Potentilla canadensis is the species of cinquefoil that's native to our area as far as I know... I'll definitely look into that.

We transplanted one of our Eastern Red Columbine offspring into the top of the slope to test it, and it seems to look very healthy so far. Hoping to do another soil test soon with a better kit, and test more areas of the slope. I have the feeling the soil conditions on this slope vary a lot from top to bottom.

Someday maybe I'll be able to post a photo of the results of our efforts. Thanks again everyone!

The suggestions of wild ginger and virginia creeper are excellent for native shade ground covers. May apple is another one that spreads like that, but grows a little taller and makes very pretty colonies. I have a hybrid variegated Solomon seal that stays around all season (unlike the species one which goes dormant very early). It spreads very fast into big colonies and is very attractive. Green and gold is another native shade tolerant ground cover.

The soil on this slope is on the alkaline side, so I don't think Mayapple, Solomon's seal, wild ginger, or Green-and-Gold would really work in this spot.

The Eastern Red Columbine, Ebony spleenwort, and Sedum ternatum we planted in this spot are so far doing quite well. But thank you for the suggestions anyway!