I'm tired of mowing this hill

Buddy Time Around The World

LostCanadian · 05-18-2009, 12:29 PM

It's time to plant some ground cover.

My only problem is that I have no idea what I can plant.

I'm in Zone 6, with a lot of clay and rock in the soil. The hill itself is very steep, facing east, can't be watered easily, and gets a lot of wind. It's approximately 20' high, and 200' long, and the slope is approxiamtely 50 degrees.

Any ideas? Flowering plants would be great, and evergreens might be nice.

All suggestions appreciated, I really have no clue where to start!

I'd like to put gardens in with retaining walls, but that would be quite costly, and I just don't have a lot to spend right now.

Periwinkle · 05-18-2009, 02:37 PM

lily of the valley--- is one idea

Weather · 05-28-2009, 11:14 AM

Can you make it into a rock garden and plant sedum, creeping juniper, ornamental grasses?
Or how about ivy (yuck, I hate ivy except when desperate)

gardenbug · 05-28-2009, 01:05 PM

I suggest a thyme lawn which looks beautiful, needs no mowing, smells divine, and you can walk on it lightly. When in bloom, the flowers are a gorgeous lavender haze! It likes sun but doesn't need much water at all.

Planting and Maintiaining a Thyme Lawn | Tips & Techniques

Replace lawn with water-thrifty, fragrant thyme - OregonLive.com

Thymus praecox 'Elfin' (Creeping Thyme)

Thymus serpyllum 'Ohme Garden Carpet' (Ohme Gardens Carpet Creeping Thyme): High Country Gardens

chriscdavidt · 01-21-2010, 04:07 PM

How about a hardy geranium? It is tough as nails, has a bloom, rarely allows any weeds through it once established. Establishes quickly. I wish I knew what type we have. We use it to circle all our trees. No more whipper snipping around trees!

chriscdavidt · 01-21-2010, 04:12 PM

Hello GardenBug

I too use Thymus-praecox-Elfin however I have some problems with it. Each spring there is always a couple patches that don't make it through the winter, leaving big holes. I really like this plant and had planned to line all my stone path ways with it however I find grass and clover get into it and then I spend a lot of time weeding. Any suggestions? Wonderful colour when in bloom, and if we keep our snow cover it will stay green all winter.

Chris

05-18-2009, 12:29 PM	#1
LostCanadian Gardenbuddy Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ohio Country: USA Plant Zone: Zone 6	I'm tired of mowing this hill It's time to plant some ground cover. My only problem is that I have no idea what I can plant. I'm in Zone 6, with a lot of clay and rock in the soil. The hill itself is very steep, facing east, can't be watered easily, and gets a lot of wind. It's approximately 20' high, and 200' long, and the slope is approxiamtely 50 degrees. Any ideas? Flowering plants would be great, and evergreens might be nice. All suggestions appreciated, I really have no clue where to start! I'd like to put gardens in with retaining walls, but that would be quite costly, and I just don't have a lot to spend right now.

05-18-2009, 02:37 PM	#2
Periwinkle Gardenbuddy Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Northern Wisconsin Country: US Plant Zone: 4a, was 3b Blog Entries: 2	lily of the valley--- is one idea

05-28-2009, 11:14 AM	#3
Weather Gardenbuddy Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Missouri Country: USA Plant Zone: zone 5/6	Can you make it into a rock garden and plant sedum, creeping juniper, ornamental grasses? Or how about ivy (yuck, I hate ivy except when desperate)

05-28-2009, 01:05 PM	#4
gardenbug Gardenbuddy Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ontario Country: Canada Plant Zone: zone 4/5	I suggest a thyme lawn which looks beautiful, needs no mowing, smells divine, and you can walk on it lightly. When in bloom, the flowers are a gorgeous lavender haze! It likes sun but doesn't need much water at all. Planting and Maintiaining a Thyme Lawn \| Tips & Techniques Replace lawn with water-thrifty, fragrant thyme - OregonLive.com Thymus praecox 'Elfin' (Creeping Thyme) Thymus serpyllum 'Ohme Garden Carpet' (Ohme Gardens Carpet Creeping Thyme): High Country Gardens

01-21-2010, 04:07 PM	#5
chriscdavidt Gardenbuddy Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Dufferin County, Ontario Country: Canada Plant Zone: Canada 4B	How about a hardy geranium? It is tough as nails, has a bloom, rarely allows any weeds through it once established. Establishes quickly. I wish I knew what type we have. We use it to circle all our trees. No more whipper snipping around trees!

01-21-2010, 04:12 PM	#6
chriscdavidt Gardenbuddy Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Dufferin County, Ontario Country: Canada Plant Zone: Canada 4B	Hello GardenBug I too use Thymus-praecox-Elfin however I have some problems with it. Each spring there is always a couple patches that don't make it through the winter, leaving big holes. I really like this plant and had planned to line all my stone path ways with it however I find grass and clover get into it and then I spend a lot of time weeding. Any suggestions? Wonderful colour when in bloom, and if we keep our snow cover it will stay green all winter. Chris