> huge bare spots that are ugly and I want to try to unify it and make it look attractive. I wonder why the pine needles aren't forming a (thin) cover. > I think the orange flowers are gazanias?? the clumping type. They'll (continue) dying out. > There is also some rosemary mixed in there. do they appear to be spreading (wriggly branches rooting)? what are the pale scattered things that look about 2-3"? If sandstone, then you could spread a thin layer of more sandstone to help the rosemary spread. _________ For covering purposes, I would mix the species. I don't know socal, but some of these might at least spur better suggestions... Asparagus 'Sprengeri' is pretty good for long seasons and bright shade. Has short sharp prickly hooks on stems. http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Asparagaceae/Asparagus_densiflorus.html Mahonias would probably settle at the top of the wall. I don't think the drier Mahonias will fill, but could be part of a mix. Dry coastal Salvias or hybrids (S mellifera, etc). They will probably try "running from" shade. Myoporum parvifolium. plain green cover (low shub) Coprosma x kirkii is another plain green cover, but I'm now looking in Sunset.. where they say it's not so dry growing as what i've seen. Maybe the one (or two?) i saw dry were just lucky. They had no competition and were well mulched, so... Erigeron karvinskianus, sort of weedy looking, but dense. they seem to live a long time for a herbaceous-looking plant. Geranium macrorrhizum. whiter foliage, else similar form. i've never grown it. Tough reputation. (but read the sunset description!) Malvastrum, but it will smother anything (such as slow children) in adjoining moist areas. (top of retaining wall is good barrier) Also I don't know how well it hangs on steeper slopes. It likes water but will survive with little water once it's large (which is soon, if watered). Will lose a lot of leaves if dry, showing a lot of stems (it seems to try to smother itself :-) ) Oenothera berlandieri. nice flowers. is a strong spreader (underground), but tends to die out completely. will not stay on a slope. goes to flat ground and swales. will likely go thru that "railroad tie" part of the retaining wall, so don't plant it near there. "Dusty Miller" Senecio(s) or Centaurea gymnocarpa. Won't live very long (on flat ground, but on a slope??), but will grow fast. Senecio wants full sun. Centaurea might grow well under high overhanging pine branches. (still wants sun) spreads/runs irregularly, good in the mix. Lavandula x 'Goodwin Creek' is pretty tough for mostly full sun (mixes ok with similar sized neighbors). Teucrium fruticans. "subtly" charming (bright overall color). won't cover anything densely (is a weak shrub) Mixes well with other shrubs. try Eremophila. Where you can see the flowers. Ballota is tough, though small. I'd pop a few in along top of wall. Socal warm season might be longer than it likes, though. Euryops, though often sheared (!gak!), are very good naturalistic shrubs. Essentially full sun. Acacia redolens. Caltrans tough. Not so great looking close up, imo. More like a thick haze than dense cover. Don't know how well it mixes. There are some larger tough plants. Plumbago. Cissus (vines). Eleaegnus. Tecomaria (you might want to keep the center pushed down.) Large fast Ceanothus (griseus) covers, will do ok in bright woodsy edge. Good in the mix. Research Junipers. Still very tough. I see this sometimes http://images.google.com/images?q=Kabatina+blight Not sure about that in Socal. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/kates_mommy/BackyardHillside-1-1.jpg What's that thin multi branched treelet? http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/kates_mommy/BackyardHillside-3.jpg And try some "nice stuff" at the top of wall in this area...

First of all - don't remove the roots or till. You need those there to hold the area against erosion. Those roots will die and decompose over time, so you're right that now is the time to get new stuff in. Natural succession of the land would have grasses come in to hold and build the soil. Over time, tree and shrub seedlings will come in and the area will become more woody - as you saw before. So I would research native grass seed that is as locally sourced as possible. Contact the Maryland Native plant society if necessary.

d keith, The idea of planting on a hill is both to prevent erosion, which is really important, and to look really nice. Full sun, zone 7, great for erosion, crape myrtle, buy more of them. They are wonderful, they have strong roots, you already have one there, and will provide a little bit of shade, which most plants will appreciate since you have sun all day. They will be on sale now, so buy more crape myrtles, they are anchors. Buy a chase tree, gorgeous blue flowers, no maintaince, drought tolerant, loves sun. Get at least one chaste tree. When you plant it, add some composted cow manure in the whole since you have clay, for the chaste tree. Evergreen magnolia is wonderful for a hill! Look for them at big box stores or nurseries now. Their roots spread out, and they grow great on hills. They are easy to care for, love sun and are evergreen. Get at least one of those, you will love the fragrant flowers in spring. The reason for the trees is important, they are the first line of defense against the pouring rain. It first hits the trees, they provide cover. Then you look for shrubs, a medium cover, like roses, which are wonderful and hardy, and also love the heat and sun. So buy some medium sized roses. You can use a soaker hose to water them. Also ornamental grasses are beautiful, and sort of medium size. Grasses need water though, so if you put out a soaker hose, include them in the path. The junipers are a wonderful suggestion also. there are ground cover junipers, you can plant them here and there, they are evergreen, which is good, they are ground covers, so they will also help the ground stay where it is. St. Johns Wart, sedum, ajunga, daylilies, little spirea shrubs, just a few suggestions as to some plants that you can plant around on the hill and will take fast. Good Luck to you.

I have sumac Low Grow, and it is doing very well in part Sun which surprises me. It is not particularly low maintenance because of the taller deciduous trees above it. The fallen leaves smother the sumac in the fall and come spring those leaves are a great, sodden, heavy mess. This is a steep hill and raking even a little is not easy. OTOH, it is a good spreader and fall color, even in part sun is excellent. I have large patches of ground cover geraniums, macrrorizum Spessart and the magenta species which are steady growers and need little water and very dense after a few years.