I live on a coastal bluff in Solana Beach. I am looking to plant deep root plants to help stabilize the top of the bluff. I thought ice plants were not good for this? Rosea iceplant and Lampranthus is suggested above. Please any advice what to plant. thanks

James, I have the same situation here in South Jersey. When I bought the property three years ago it was covered with some type of wild brambles and honeysuckle that were both choking everything out. I started by cutting down the undesirable mulberry trees that were blocking all of the sunlight for the good trees. But I did everything very slowly over three years. Handpulled honeysuckle. Then started replacing the brambles with azaleas and red-twig dogwood I bought cheap at an auction. The red-twig are native type and look great in the winter also. As for ground cover, I called Bluestone Perennials and spoke with a person who was very knowlegeable. Can't remember what I bought, but it has runners and is filling out. The only thing you have to watch is putting something in that will eventually choke out everything else. Check out the Bluestone catalog, there is a section that has ground covers, but no pictures, you'll have to look them up elsewhere. But my favorite was the native red-twig dogwood, you will love it. Just remember to check the Ph before you buy any plants. Add peat to the hole when planting the red-twigs and I believe they like it slightly acidic. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: Red-Twig Info

It's not plants with deep roots that you need, it is plants with wide spreading roots. But start just with a deep layer of mulch such as grass clippings about 3 inches deep. THis will prevent rain splashing on the surface of the soil and starting the erosion. Then get something vigorous and put it in holes that you dig in the mulch. I have a ton of some little unknown plant and you can have as much of it as you wish to start your bed. It likes shade and ihas small purple blooms in the shade. I can send a photo if you wish. . I am in Hilo 805-545-0642 Laura

One of your first goals will be to slow the water sheeting down the surface, both to reduce erosion and to increase the amount of moisture that soaks in. If you can afford someone to put in a few boulders that you can plant between, that might help. Even chunks of cordwood slightly set into the soil will help and can be left to rot or get covered by the mulch and plants. Use this sort of a shape if possible \__/ (sort of a sideways C with the opening facing into the hill and dug into the slope. You'll want to put down really fibrous bark mulch to help hold soil and reduce runoff while things take root. Another option DH used to hold a very steep slope was getting long wooden stakes (grade stakes) and pounding them into the slope perpendicularly to the slope to brace boards that help hold the mulch and soil while the plants established. Grade stakes are pretty inexpensive and he used slabs (cutoffs from the outside of a tree) from a small-scale sawmill. This wouldn't work with rocky soil, but we have no rocks, so if that's your situation it might help and is inexpensive. I think T2D's slope is a bit steeper in person than it looks in some of the photos, particularly on the far side of the steps. I agree that those beds are stunning! I have a quite steep bank behind my house (SW facing) and at the time I planted it had little time or money to deal with it. I did have a bunch of old orange daylilies crowded into a bed where I wanted to use the space for something else, so I transplanted those about every foot or so and they hold the soil well and have spread. (You may be able to get a bunch of these by offering to dig them on Craigslist or by just looking to see if someone posts that they are available.) I also got another medium height plant that spreads from another gardener (no idea what it is - screaming magenta daisy-like flowers and large coarsely toothed leaves) and the two weave around each other. I put a Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii) a few feet up from the bottom of the slope and it has done well. A Kousa dogwood is at the bottom of the slope. I mulched it well and renew the mulch every 4 years or so. I'm only now starting to consider what else I might want to plant here, so I'll enjoy seeing what others suggest. When I plant on a slope, I take the extra soil from the hole and use it to make a wall below the plant and create a pocket to help hold water. As far as other specific ideas you mentioned above, you might want to reconsider the wildflower seeds as they tend to need a lot of weeding to get established, need sunlight to sprout (so no mulch) and may well wash to the bottom of that steep a slope. I'd put the Siberian iris near the bottom of the slope as they like it a bit less dry and may need dividing in a few years to bloom well. Bearded iris will tolerate dry soil, but won't help much with erosion as their roots aren't very deep or prolific. Sweet fern will do well anywhere on that slope as it will grow in any poor site IME, but it will sucker and spread, not remain just where you put it. It hasn't been difficult to pull out when I've needed to. I have a white-flowered 'Jet Trail' quince that suckers and is in a relatively dry situation (at least it never gets supplemental water and the soil is sandy.) It seems to top out in height at about 4 feet, but I have to periodically whack it back to reduce the girth as it gets more than 6 feet wide. Some other ideas that occur to me for your situation: Think about sumac - either one of the fancy kinds like fern-leafed or lowgrow or even plain old staghorn. It will sucker also, but is pretty unfussy and likes full sun. Birds like the fruits and the fall color is stunning. Junipers - come in different textures and colors The shrubby Caryopteris have lovely late summer purple-blue flowers. They are low growing and some have variegated or golden foliage, though the original types have bluish foliage. Many bulbs like to be drier in the summer, so they will help add interest in the spring and the roots will help stabilize soil. (daffodils and tulips would be a good start.) Nepeta and Russian sage come to mind as plants that will be OK. Ice plant will work if it's a kind that's hardy enough for you. The western Penstemons or Agastaches like it dry. I planted Agastache rupestris on a steep slope as well as Penstemon pinifolius (pineleaf beardtongue) along with some hybrid forms of both kinds and they have survived most years though they are borderline hardy here. Achillea and lambs ears are happy where it's dry. Look at High Country Gardens website for ideas of plants that like dry and sunny. I have found that many of the plants they sell (like the Penstemons and Agastaches) will grow for me on steep slopes. They tell you what is the precipitation range for each of the plants, but in steep areas I find I can plant things that like it a bit drier than my area is. Regardless of what you plant you will probably need to water some the first year if there isn't regular rain so things have a chance to get established and grow sufficient roots. Soaker hose below the mulch will help with this without increasing erosion potential. Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Gardens