The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Gardens => Topic started by: blades on October 13, 2011, 06:49:11 am

Title: Ground cover plant for a shady bank... suggestions please
Post by: blades on October 13, 2011, 06:49:11 am
I have a shady angled bank approx 16m x 1m that runs behind a building sitting at a 90 degree angle (roughly) ... I would like to plant the bank.
Can anyone suggest a good plant for this? It does get some sun for a couple of hours per day.

Something that ground covers like aubretia but that requires less sun. Also a plant thats roots stabilise the ground would be good.

Grateful for any advice, thanks in advance
Title: Re: Ground cover plant for a shady bank... suggestions please
Post by: darkbrowneggs on October 13, 2011, 09:37:37 am
Hi - You can get some interesting ivies with different coloured and shaped leaves, and although there are no flowers it would be  nice to look at all year round and should really help with stabilizing.  Are you sure you mean 90 degrees?  That is one heck of a steep bank.  :o
Title: Re: Ground cover plant for a shady bank... suggestions please
Post by: Rosemary on October 13, 2011, 11:51:41 am
Is 90 degrees not vertical?

Anyway, what about Vinca (Periwinkle) - you get a large leaf one and a small leaf one (Vinca  major and Vinca minor, I think). Has nice blue flowers and spreads like mad.
Title: Re: Ground cover plant for a shady bank... suggestions please
Post by: blades on October 13, 2011, 11:58:50 am
Hi - You can get some interesting ivies with different coloured and shaped leaves, and although there are no flowers it would be  nice to look at all year round and should really help with stabilizing.  Are you sure you mean 90 degrees?  That is one heck of a steep bank.  :o

Sorry mean't 45 degree slope (back corner of the area I dug out was 90!!

Thanks for the info
Title: Re: Ground cover plant for a shady bank... suggestions please
Post by: tizaala on October 29, 2011, 09:37:44 am
Purple bugle, lilly of the valley, or better still wild garlic , decorative and delicious.