If you take a look at photos I have posted on Cottage Garden-gallery (see "Things are starting to fill in") you will understand that I know from what I speak (my whole garden is a slope). When we bought this property many years ago, it was covered with maple trees which provided slightly less than total darkness under which nothing would grow (except weeds). I tackled this mess one area at a time. As my knowlege grew--so did the number and size of the beds. Try to do only what you can reasonably do well at the moment. You will have the time, however limited , to monitor your beds and watch for problems, happy accidents (like a volunteer seedling having planted itself). You will also learn if the plant choices you have made like the home you have provided them. This alone could save you a lot of frustration, time and financial investment. Having tried landscape fabric-difficult to keep in place,mulch tends to slide off (particularly in a hard rain). I prefer to use the 'lasagna method'. Lay down 8 layers of wet newspaper overlapping edges so weeds can't find a way through and cover with several inches of mulch (I find shredded bark works best because it will knit together and prevent sliding. Many local landfills provide this to the community at little to no cost.). Leave to overwinter. This method will not only help to control the weed problem, but will also add beneficial elements to the quality of the clay soil. Ask your friends and relatives if they would help you by saving their old newspapers for you (you will need quite a bit). I don't know the ages of your little ones, but if they are anything like my two kids were at toddler stage and up, there is nothing they would like more than helping mom and dad. Especially if it involves the opportunity to "play" in the water and get soaking wet outside. You could try this project on a hot summer day In the spring you can plant. What plants will depend on your light conditions. I hope this is helpful.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I really appreciate getting some good ideas. This spot has been a problem for a few years and as I mentioned is getting worse. I have to be very careful what I plant however. DH just last year pulled out all of the vinca ground cover I had around part of the back and the north side of our house due it being too hardy and covering over the bushes and sidewalk. lol He has spotted a few trying to come back and he has already said he is going after them so I know whatever I plant must not vine. I like the Asian Jasmine very much and I believe the right color variety would look good with the photinias. If we could do as Dawn mentioned and just mow them to keep them off the bushes it might work and they might be able to withstand the late sun they will get. I also love thrift. I have had it as mixed ground cover in front of my house for years and it was just breath taking many springs and falls as well. But something happened to it in the last year or so...either the floods or the ice storms. It is trying to make a come back but is pretty sparse as of now. I know it can take sun since my house faces west and gets intense heat. It has been a challenge to find one which meets all my needs in this spot and is something DH will tolerate as well.....lol. Oh and BTW I forgot to mention it will have to be able to endure being trampled when DH prunes the photinias...lol. I think Ajuga is very nice ground cover but I really don't think it would survive the conditions I have. The purple heart I know to be a very hardy and pretty plant and low maintance but I agree Dawn it might look a little like overkill with the photinias. I find a twig of it in some of my beds around here occasionally so I am sure some of my neighbors must have it. Speaking of plants coming from neighbors...I had a battle last summer with the green variety of "jew" coming up EVERYWHERE around here. I didn't think I would ever get rid of it. Apparently seed must have washed through the yard during all the flooding rains. From the plants you all have mentioned I think the only two which might work are the Asian Jasmine or the thrift. I wonder if the thrift will have too much roots for me with all those power lines? I know the ones I planted in front came in half gallon pots. Yikes! But perhaps we could have the electric company come out and mark the lines so we can avoid them....it is pretty scary. Since this spot of my yard is in perfect view from my patio I need to do something with it. It looks pretty ugly right now with so much bare soil showing. Even thought DH gives the photinias a severe pruning pretty often and tries to keep them from being too tall still the bare spot is growing larger each year. Thank you all for your helpful suggestions and I will let you know what I end up doing. I have had so much else going on lately I have given little thought to any kind of gardening. After last year I am pretty disgusted with it to tell you the truth. It was THE WORST season for me EVER. And Dawn...no we have not been traveling. We have kept busy with going through our entire property and doing a massive clean out. I hope to have a huge garage sale and cut way down on things around here. I just want to SIMPLIFY. We finally redecorated our master bedroom and bathroom too....so we have kept very busy all winter. Now I am just ready for WARMTH. Lots of sunshine and WARMTH! Thank ya'll! G.M.

Loop Loc has Mesh II and Ultra-Loc, their solid cover. The Mesh II lets the water drain in. If you have water line tile, a step pump is a good idea to keep the water off the tile. The solid covers come in two styles, with and without drain panels. Those without drain panels must have a cover pump to remove standing water. Those with drains should be tensioned evenly but softly as the cover material doesn't stretch. The springs and water take the load. All brands of safety covers should not let the water level be more than 18" from the cover bottom. The only pools that need to be lowered are those with waterline tile. It is rare that they need to go 18" down to get there. Keeping the water level off the tiles ensures that when the surface freezes, the expanding ice won't crack or pop tiles. That is the only reason to lower a pool. Using a step pump will ensure that when a snow load presses down, the step pump will remove any rising water. I have never had a problem with Loop Loc's customer service, ever. I have had issues with Merlin. They don't like to listen when I tell them not to put a strap within 12" of a particular location. I have sent covers back because of this. Scott

Rather than gravel or crushed rock, I prefer something with a larger texture, like small diameter river rock. Walking on it is difficult but in a planted area with mostly conifers, walking through it is not a huge necessity!! Add some larger rocks and few boulders well embedded in the ground and you have a ready-made design! A couple of thoughts - IMO, this looks best if on a mounded bed or sloped area - a perfectly flat surface just doesn't quite make the cut :-) Also, if you are restricting the plantings to primarily conifers and minimal use of other smaller spreading or groundcover type plants, this IS a situation where I would use a landscape fabric under the rock (and you will NOT find me stating that often :-)) It is far too easy for the rock to become incorporated into the underlying soil, making future amending difficult, should it ever be necessary. It will also help to deter weed growth from underneath but debris will always accumulate on top and that can encourage weed growth in the rocks themselves. But that should be easy to remove. Just keep the fabric away from the base of the conifers to allow for good water penetration. A larger rock diameter makes blowing easier as well. Any heat generated from a rock mulch will be easily tolerated by most conifers - that should not be a concern. One of the best examples of this technique I have seen is in a semi-shaded area in plantswoman Helen Dillon's garden. The trees were birch, not conifers (as more suited to the partial shade) but the rock mulch was small, 1-2" or so diameter river rock. A really stunning effect. Blown clear of leaves and other debris as necessary.