Tinyus Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 What is a good creeping ground cover or creeping vine? We have a hill/embankment we need to plant something. Any suggestions will be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 Myrtle. Tinyus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 Are you looking for a native? How tall can it get? How large of an area is it, and how steep is the hill? Shade or sun? Tinyus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 If you have an area where you can let a ground cover run undisturbed there are a number of things that might work. These are things that you can't kill and need no care which is what you want if it is a steep slope. There are other things that might look prettier but they aren't as hardy and will need care. Are deer a consideration? Check that whatever you plant isn't going to be fodder for animals. Creeping juniper....evergreen. There are various cultivars and it grows fairly fast. Likes sun or partial shade Winter creeper......sun or shade Kind of a woody vine. I have this one growing in full shade in what is basically shale fill. It's been there for years. Aegopodium or bishops weed.... I hate to recommend this because it is invasive but if you have a slope that you want to cover it will cover it. The variegated form is quite pretty and it will crowd everything else out. Be forewarned! Houttuynia or chameleon plant......This is another aggressive one. I grow it in my shade garden. No weeds get through it. It does have to be pulled up once in a while to keep it from crowding out the plants. It is brilliantly colored in the sun. Not so much in the shade. Likes moist soil. Cotoneaster........they come in creeping and more upright forms. Sun or shade Vinca....sun or shade. little blue flowers. fast growing. evergreen Pachysandra........likes some shade. fast grower Lambs ears....fuzzy gray and spreads quickly. Flowers are not very pretty but the bees love them. I've grown all of these and know they will grow here. There are other things like tall grasses but you specified creeping plants. I've also got a sedum that spreads like crazy and something like that might be a possibility as well. Depends on what kind of look you want. Tinyus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 Petee...we need something that will grow maybe 3-5 feet. The hill is now clear of the trees mostly...it is the embankment to the main road.... Fairly steep.. So something to add privacy on the hill. Full sun, native ? It would not have to be the whole hillside just enough to blend in...thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 On 8/23/2021 at 11:27 PM, lavender said: If you have an area where you can let a ground cover run undisturbed there are a number of things that might work. These are things that you can't kill and need no care which is what you want if it is a steep slope. There are other things that might look prettier but they aren't as hardy and will need care. Are deer a consideration? Check that whatever you plant isn't going to be fodder for animals. Creeping juniper....evergreen. There are various cultivars and it grows fairly fast. Likes sun or partial shade Winter creeper......sun or shade Kind of a woody vine. I have this one growing in full shade in what is basically shale fill. It's been there for years. Aegopodium or bishops weed.... I hate to recommend this because it is invasive but if you have a slope that you want to cover it will cover it. The variegated form is quite pretty and it will crowd everything else out. Be forewarned! Houttuynia or chameleon plant......This is another aggressive one. I grow it in my shade garden. No weeds get through it. It does have to be pulled up once in a while to keep it from crowding out the plants. It is brilliantly colored in the sun. Not so much in the shade. Likes moist soil. Cotoneaster........they come in creeping and more upright forms. Sun or shade Vinca....sun or shade. little blue flowers. fast growing. evergreen Pachysandra........likes some shade. fast grower Lambs ears....fuzzy gray and spreads quickly. Flowers are not very pretty but the bees love them. I've grown all of these and know they will grow here. There are other things like tall grasses but you specified creeping plants. I've also got a sedum that spreads like crazy and something like that might be a possibility as well. Depends on what kind of look you want. Lavender...I'm going to research some of the things you mentioned. Thank you for your resources. Yes we get deer and other critters. Living in the mountains...who knows what else...😄. Looking for green coverage on hillside. Trees (bushes) and flowers along the driveway. I love that white feathery looking bush pampas grass I think..lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 Yes something to just grow freely, undisturbed. Not a lot of care for...lol its such a steep hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 If you are looking for privacy you might consider some tall grasses like the Miscanthus grasses. They do reseed and they grow better if you cut the dead stuff back in the spring. It looks as that might be dappled sunlight so you might try some understory trees like dogwood. Mountain laurel might grow there or Clethra alnifolia aka summer sweet might do well. I have summer sweet growing with elderberry. That might work as well. There are native viburnums that like that sort of environment. I would suggest that you research thickets that will grow on a slope. That looks as though it might be an ideal situation for providing cover and food for wild life and birds. If you don't want to fuss with it native plants are best. OK I just realized that you said the trees are mostly gone. Most of the stuff I suggested will take some sun. You probably need to decide how formal a look you want. Anything formal will be more work. I'd go for a more natural look with shrubs and ground cover. Clumps of tall grasses would probably work as well. I hesitate to recommend them because they are take over artists and it takes a backhoe to get rid of them. Tinyus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 Yes the more natural look...not alot of work to it. The hill side is really clear of the trees now. That was before, here is my long driveway. Maybe that will help show the slope of the hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 There is alot of kudzu here...it is everywhere. Kinda neat looking tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted August 26, 2021 Share Posted August 26, 2021 Kudzu? What planting zone do you live in? The stuff I am recommending is native to or grows in DuBois, PA which is a chilly zone 5. You might want to contact a gardening club or the Master Gardeners in your planting zone. You would then get practical rather than theoretical advice. I don't think kudzu would make it through our winters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted August 26, 2021 Share Posted August 26, 2021 3 hours ago, Tinyus said: Petee...we need something that will grow maybe 3-5 feet. The hill is now clear of the trees mostly...it is the embankment to the main road.... Fairly steep.. So something to add privacy on the hill. Full sun, native ? It would not have to be the whole hillside just enough to blend in...thank you. What seems to be growing on the ground there now? Mosses, grass, ground pine? If so, then your soil is probably fairly acidic. Would you consider domestic Mountain Laurel, Azalea, Blueberries and Rhododendron? You may be able to intersperse them with some bunching grasses to add interest and make it look like more of a planned planting. Let me know and I'll toss more ideas to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 26, 2021 Author Share Posted August 26, 2021 Wow....people post from all over on this forum. I was only asking for suggestions. I am now living in the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 26, 2021 Author Share Posted August 26, 2021 13 minutes ago, Petee said: What seems to be growing on the ground there now? Mosses, grass, ground pine? If so, then your soil is probably fairly acidic. Would you consider domestic Mountain Laurel, Azalea, Blueberries and Rhododendron? You may be able to intersperse them with some bunching grasses to add interest and make it look like more of a planned planting. Let me know and I'll toss more ideas to you. Grass and ground pine...yes some of those ones sound good. True...a planned planting ,thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyus Posted August 26, 2021 Author Share Posted August 26, 2021 Thanks lavender...sorry for the inconvenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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