They will want to know the specifics of your site, such as soil texture, pH, and moisture. native plants will often flourish with minimal or no need for irrigation or fertilizers. Native Plant Gardening on the Western Slope Gardening on Colorado’s Western Slope below 7,000 feet can present many unique challenges. Cotoneaster horizontalis (zones 5 to 7) is another choice from the shrub world that is among the best plants for erosion control.You'll like its horizontal plant form if you're looking for a selection that doesn't get too tall (3 feet) but that spreads and puts out big, tough roots that will stabilize the ground on a slope. If you live in Maryland's mountain counties, your vendor will also need to know your slope's aspect and soil depth. (See section on erosion). Add to Cart. Shrubs spicebush western redbud, mountain mahogany, western elderberry, and mock orange. Native to coastal sage scrub and chaparral plant communities, this is an essential California shrub for your slope. Slopes and Deer - Steep slopes present an opportunity to use native plants that are vulnerable to deer. Buffer width depends on the size of the lot, with an … long (10 cm) are rich in nectar and attract bees, butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects. Its smell is divine, and the foliage color is distinct. By Valerie Easton Any rain that falls doesn't stay for long. Shrubs for Sunny Slopes in New England Gardens Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant) Native to North America, Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant) is a lovely rounded deciduous shrub with small, grayish green, aromatic, feathery leaves and spikes of tiny, bluish-purple flowers with gold anthers. Broomsedge. REC, Lower Eastern Shore $4.00 As low as $3.00. Planting trees on slopes tends to be tricky, because soil becomes unstable when it's disturbed by running water, wind and gravity. Ice plants (Malephora) are perennial groundcovers, native to South Africa, that grow in numerous climates. The big advantage is that they don’t need to be mowed, so forget that vision of yourself chasing the mower downhill. Where to Buy Native Plants. The native plant -covered slopes also stayed drier in winter. These native plants should work as low ground covers in most California gardens.> Some of these ground covers are drought tolerant, some shade tolerant, you'll have to click on the clicks to read more. It showcased the tarnished beauty of rust in the form of a water feature and wheelbarrow seat, then the theme was carried through with earthy-toned walls. Slopes and banks of various sizes are quite common in both residential gardens and commercial landscapes throughout the Inland Empire. And no mowing is required! Native Plant Sales at State Parks . Iceplant, Vinca, Ivy fits the weedy role, not the native role. A trace of runoff from native plant covered slopes. Plant Life columnist Valerie Easton talks with an expert on slope erosion. Junipers are versatile, compact evergreen shrubs and the creeping species is common for preventing weeds and taming steep slopes. add plant: Shrub: tall Oregon grape: Mahonia aquifolium: sun - shade: dry - wet: 8: H: H: add plant: Shrub: red-flowering currant: Ribes sanguineum: sun - part shade: dry - moist: 6: H: M: add plant: Shrub: thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus: sun - shade: dry - moist: 8: M: M: add plant: Groundcover: yarrow: Achillea millefolium: sun - part shade: dry - moist: 0: H: H: add plant: Groundcover: kinnikinnik; bearberry Partridge Pea. Native Plants for Slopes and Hills 4-seasons of interest, bird and butterfly value. Native Plants for Steep Slopes and Erosion Control By gripping the soil with their more extensive roots, certain native plants can do a better job at erosion control than turf grass, especially in shade areas where grass grows poorly. Landscapers use the plant in a variety of ways including slopes and along highways. Below is a listing of opportunities and places throughout the state that specialize in native species. The area from Grand Junction to Durango is classified as semi-desert shrubland and can be characterized as having extremely low humidity and alkaline soils with poor water infiltration. This beautiful perennial native poppy is often called the "fried egg plant" for its enormous white crepe papery flowers with their golden yellow centers. It doesn't have to be a constant source of work. Slope Attributes: deer resistant. How do I plant on steep slopes? Some plants that work well on slopes include: Burning Bush Fragrant Sumac Japanese Yew California Lilac Creeping Juniper Dwarf Forsythia Snowberry Siberian Carpet Cypress A native phlox ground cover with rich violet blue flowers above green foliage. Boxwood Boxwood shrubs are sturdy and dense enough to be reliable hedge and topiary plants, making them a great choice for sloped landscapes. Creeping junipers are sun-loving ground cover shrubs that generally grow no more than a foot tall. Below are 11 best plants for covering slopes and hillside areas and to create beauty and stabilty. Pruning Hydrangeas. So choose plants that tolerate dry weather for the top 2/3rd and plants that will survive damp soil for the bottom third. Grasses and Sedges: Little bluestem Big bluestem Virginia wild rye Canada wild rye Switchgrass Indian grass Prairie oval sedge Sideoats grama Fine fescue blends For a change of pace, try a wild plant on your shady slope. Sunny sites are brutal during hot, dry summer weather. Not recommended for the Coastal Plain. On steeper slopes coarse coconut matting or similar material can be pegged down so that the soil on the slope, temporarily cleared of vegetation, is less likely to wash off. Creeping Raspberry. Interrupted Fern. Plant creeping phlox on sunny slopes for erosion control with a pop of spring color. Grassy plant, excellent for erosion control... Dietes iridioides - butterfly iris. Here are some of our favorites for slopes. One of the best ways to control erosion with native plants on a steep slope is to plant it solidly with California lilac (Ceanothus.) California native plants beautify and strengthen steep slopes Gardening on steep slopes can be challenging, but locally native evergreen foundation plants, properly irrigated, can create a garden that provides erosion control and year round beauty. The slope was all lateritic red soil developed from granite. Aquilegia canadensis. No one likes weeding, and if your plants are 12” or taller, they will shade out many weeds, or at least cover them so you don’t see them. California’s native plants should be conserved because of their beauty and intrinsic value, because they are essential components of ecosystems and natural processes, and because they provide us with valuable renewable materials and other benefits. (On the surface, NOT tilled in.) Slopes and banks of various sizes are quite common in both residential gardens and commercial landscapes throughout the Inland Empire. 2002 B.C. Northwest native plants figure prominently in the plantings. Here is a list of seven great plants I use to tackle challenging slopes. REC, Western Maryland Pruning Crape Myrtles. The use of native plants is recommended for the management and rehabilitation of slopes near urban rivers due to their ecological value and their capability for sediment control. Interest in water conserving landscape is bringing attention to the strategy of planting a diversity of trees and spreading shrubs with organic mulch topdressing. Slopes & Banks - Problem Solving Plants for Slopes & Banks. And who better to recommend these plants … Whatever you choose as your solution, that difficult slope holds the promise of many things. Plus, trees and shrubs on steep hillsides can help keep slopes from sliding. Pictures to help you find the ground cover for your garden slope, . We recommend planting perennials and shrubs with a bit of height on a slope. These plants evolved with local wildlife, such as birds and pollinators who use them for food, shelter and other basic needs – needs that non-native plants often cannot meet. The Home Gardeners Jim and Liz discuss two of their favorite low growing native plants for slopes. More ... Eastern Bottlebrush Grass. The Garden of Native Plant Ideas was put together by landscapers from the Auckland Botanic Gardens. Plants for Steep Slopes. Fragaria chiloensis Also known as Beach strawberry, this evergreen ground cover is a California native, well-suited to areas of part-sun to shade and well-drained soil. Native Plant Gardening on the Western Slope Gardening on Colorado’s Western Slope below 7,000 feet can present many unique challenges. Water runs off quickly rather than soaking in often leading to erosion. May 17, 2014 - Arrange plants in staggered rows on slopes where erosion may occur, and use drip irrigation (I prefer in-line) on the uphill sides of the plants. Steep slopes and banks are vulnerable to erosion, but you can’t rely on just any plant to stabilize a hillside or steep bank. The slope also carries water away down to the bottom, so a hard rain running down the slope can pull at your plants and stress them without giving them a deep watering. So choose plants that tolerate dry weather for the top 2/3rd and plants that will survive damp soil for the bottom third. Hypericum Calycinum St. John's Wort. If you tackle it with thought and care, you can eventually sit back, relax and enjoy watching as nature takes over! Your local native plant vendor can recommend even more great native plants to help you with your slope planting project! If all or part your slope is shady, you may also want to check out our list for shady slopes. Plant creeping phlox on sunny slopes for erosion control with a pop of spring color. All the plants, including trees, on a slope anchor the soil in place. As more people request native species, they become easier to find and identify at nurseries. Cutleaf stephanandra makes a handsome addition to slopes … Soil Requirements: mesic to dry soil with good calcium availability. Virtually all species and selections of ceanothus are recommended for erosion control. Eco-sourced native plants are unrivalled when it comes to revegetating wilderness areas such as coastal cliffs and stream margins. It bears white flowers from spring through summer, produces edible fruit in fall, and has touches of … Flower spikes reach above that height in spring and summer. … Red flowering currant, serviceberry, Indian plum and native roses are slope-stabilization workhorses. See more ideas about Plants, Landscape design, Landscaping a slope. Sand slopes can be landscaped with a mixture of perennials, groundcovers, bushes and trees, with a layer of shredded bark. If the slope is not vegetated, grading may be needed to establish a stable slope. And erosion problems are increasing; not just because of climate-change extremes. To determine the plant species, we assessed root architectural and mechanical traits of plants growing along a degraded slope at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hundreds of plants are potentially suitable as ground covers for slopes, depending on the site and your region. Lovely white six-petaled flowers in abundance, and grassy foliage, like an iris. Creeping Raspberry is a fast growing ground cover but not invasive. Different root depths using little water will tie up the slope, the mulch will stop most surface activity. Grows in zones 3 to 8. The plan below frames the existing view, and adds a beautiful landscape to help hold the slope and attract wildlife. It reaches 4 to 5 feet high and just as wide before bloom. Grass covered slopes lead to hillside erosion and possible landslides. Clear-cutting is the major culprit, along with too much grading, soil compaction, stormwater, drainage and wind. Native Plants for Sunny Slopes. See more ideas about plants, landscape design, landscape. Slope Attributes: very aggressive, very deer resistant, winter presence, Slope Attributes: quick germination, winter presence, Slope Attributes: aggressive, deer resistant, winter presence, Slope Attributes: spreading, deer resistant, Soil Requirements: mesic to dry sandy or rocky soils, also known as rock rose because it does well in shallow soil over rock outcrops, Slope Attributes: deer resistant, quick germination, winter presence, Slope Attributes: deer resistant, quick germination, Soil Requirements: for moister or richer soils that can often be found at the bottom of a slope, Slope Attributes: aggressive, spreading, deer resistant, Soil Requirements: moist to dry, tolerant of roadside conditions including compaction and road salt. As the matting decays, stem-rooting plants should root-in to provide good consolidation. Deciduous. The rhizomes that allow … BEST plants for 30 tough garden sites: dry shade, slopes, lakeshores, all locations that call for tough, durable plants. For any large slope, the easiest long-term landscaping solution is to establish as quickly as possible a permanent cover of native plants. Hypericum can reach 1 to 2 feet in height. Matilija poppy spreads by aggressive underground runners, so plant it on a slope or other location with room to run. Gardening on steep slopes can be challenging, but locally native evergreen foundation plants, properly irrigated, can create a garden that provides erosion control and year round beauty. documentation on native plants which can meet the potential slope plant characteristics to reinforce soil. Ornamental grasses, ground cover roses and shrubs (including shrub roses with a sprawling growth habit) work well in hillside and slope planting. And No Mowing! If you use native plants, there's hope for slopes. White Wood Aster. Native to North America, Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant) is a lovely rounded deciduous shrub with small, grayish green, aromatic, feathery leaves and spikes of tiny, bluish-purple flowers with gold anthers. Bright yellow flowers appear in spring and early summer when planted in full sun. Blue Moon Woodland Phlox Garden Erosion Control Plants for Slopes and Banks – Blue Moon Woodland Phlox. Plants that leaf out early and hold their leaves until late fall, however, rise to the top of the heap. Most Popular . Native Plants for Shady Slopes. Woodland Sunflower. Native plants have evolved for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years in our area, becoming accustomed to our climate, soils and other conditions. Create a buffer of native plants between your ornamental garden and the edge of a steep slope. You can see the result in natural areas, where vulnerable species like azaleas and mountain laurels are no longer found except on slopes. CDFW administers programs to study, map, conserve and protect California’s native plants and natural communities. Historically, alien plant species with the following attributes were used for the purpose of slope stabilization: Many of these species are now regarded as invasive plants. See more ideas about Plants, Landscape design, Landscaping a slope. It is not uncommon for the Upstate to experience serious drought. Notes: Grows on rock outcrops in Piedmont and Mountain ecoregions. Hypericum can reach 1 to 2 feet in height. Weedy or grass cover slopes get very wet very fast and either shed water or slide mud. Soil Requirements: moist to dry, poor soils. Gillian Plummer / Getty Images. In most cases, planting native plants by hand does not require a permit. Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer, Butterfly Gardening: Learn Which Perennials and Annuals Attract Butterflies, How to Create a Stunning Succulent Fountain Arrangement, Top Shade Garden Plants: Add Color and Interest to Shaded Spots in your Garden, The Different Types of Low-Maintenance Geraniums, 12 Perfect Plants for Outdoor Pots in Florida. Plant hellebores on a slope in full shade or dappled shade for the best results. To view lower plants that can be used as ground covers, click here, for two feet or higher click here or check out Slopes. A more modern and ecologically sound approach is to use native plants that have some of these attributes. Bear these factors in mind when planting on a slope Slopes are usually very dry at the top when it hasn't rained and very wet, even swampy toward the bottom of the slope when it does rain. Some native plants perform well in these environments. Trees and Shrubs for the Midwest and Northeast include sycamore, dogwoods, winterberry, and buttonbush. 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