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Southern Gardening

what to plant on backyard slope?

15 years ago

I need some help with what to do in the backyard. We can't get grass to grow on the slope. Any ideas on what to plant. It gets a lot of sun. We have 2 dogs that use the backyard so nothing poisonous to animals. I'm trying to add a picture but I'm not sure its working. Thanks

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Comments (6)

Iris GW
15 years ago
This forum doesn't support attachments, but if you have a picture on a photohosting site like photobucket.com then you can post links to your pictures.

Juniper (there are many varieties to choose from) are often used in such a situation. An assortment of sun loving trees and shrubs would work as well to help hold the soil. A good layer of woodchips/mulch/pine straw would unify the look.
naynay2410
Original Author
15 years ago
thanks for the advise. I've tried to add a picture again. hope it worked.

Here is a link that might be useful: backyard
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By saying, "... and am completely overwhelmed trying to decide on plants ..." makes it sound as if you are wanting to "garden" the slope with a variety of plants. I wouldn't know what plants would work for you in that way, My suggestions are conceptual and about what minimum I think you ought to do. First, I would add one tree to the slope in order to make the tree scheme consistent. It looks like one is missing, Closer to the house (I presume that this is a yard and there is a house behind the camera), alongside the wall, might be a spot for an additional, smaller tree. Also, I'd bury the rocks such that their top surface matches, or is consistently slightly above the elevation of the lawn edge mowing strip. Third, plant something to cover the ground. Whether it's a uniform groundcover or a variety of plants would be up to you. However, I wouldn't place plants with any height to speak of at the foreground of the bed. Those would be better off closer to the perimeter wall, as part of the backdrop.
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my apologies ==>> no need to apologize to me ... what is all the dead stuff there ,.... or did it just go summer dormant ... thinking outside the box... you could make a self play bocci court.. lol ... roll the ball up.. and it comes down ... i have a few hills in my yard.. i called it 3D bocci ... must more fun than the flat earth version ... something akin to bocci putting.. lol,.. but i digress ... i would seed in grass in fall ... and make it mowable.. asap ... or whatever might actually be there ... and then over the next decade.. if you are a hardcore gardener.. just start transforming it with shrubs.. conifer ... and gardens ... one section at a time ... to your work tolerance ... you really arent going to do this in one season .. unless you have no real budget constraints to have it professionally installed.. and all the power to you.. if you do ... are hurricane type rains [as compared to the storm itself] possible in your area of GA?? ... if so...stabilization is imperative ... as your new house is at the bottom of the hill... and that little gully in the lawn isnt going to do much for a land slide .... dont get all wound up about such.. but make sure its part of your future plans ... i wish you luck ... this MI boy isnt gong to offer any specific plant suggestions for GA ... and i wonder about some of the specific suggestions above .... take any given suggestions to a local nursery ....not bigbox.. and ask if they sell such.. if they dont.. its a good clue it might not work for you ... good luck ken
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Iris GW
15 years ago
Oh that doesn't look like much of a slope at all - I pictured some huge cliffside! ;) I think just a nice mix of native, sun loving shrubs and perennials would complement that nicely. It already has a natural feel so I would go with that approach. A few craggy boulders perhaps.

Whereabouts in Georgia are you located? You can also post on the Georgia forum if you want.
naynay2410
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for your suggestions. Were you thinking something like azalea's?? We are a little south of atl. I'm new to this site and didn't realize there was a GA forum. I'll check that out.
mrsjohnnyg
15 years ago
I have the same issue... I've decided on some type of juniper like Blue Carpet Juniper (which stays short but spreads very well to form a "carpet" along the slope), interspersed with a few taller shrubs/small trees (like Japanese maple) for interest, and bordered with Big Blue Liriope.

We had our whole back and side yard regraded (we had a major drainage problem and it washed away the grass even in the middle of the yard), and we also had a few large boulders put into the bank. They add such a great look, and are obviously low-maintenance and erosion-proof. I'm going to plant something between the boulders to give it more of a natural look... my landscaper suggested creeping Jenny, but I'm not crazy about how that looks, so I'll probably go with either creeping phlox, chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata), or even Scottish moss. I want simple, low-maintenance, and great-looking!
okatie
15 years ago
we have pampas grass growing on a steep sunny slope and it looks good and hold the soil in. Bit of a visual block -- you might plant it along the back and something else in the front.

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