What to Use When Planting on a Large Slope

Ornamental Grasses

• Ornamental grasses require little maintenance, an important attribute for slope gardening. Slope-hardy species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), a 2- to 4-foot-tall grass that grows in an upright form. This grass is hardy in zones 4 to 10 and grows well in full sun and well-drained to dry soils. It has bright-green to blue foliage that turns orange in fall.

  Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) also thrives on slopes. Hardy in zones 5 to 9, this grass grows from 4 to 6 feet tall and prefers sun to partial shade and moist to dry soil. It grows in clumps of upright, blue-green foliage that turns red in winter. Switchgrass produces red-purple flowers and red seeds.

Ground Covers

• The fibrous, spreading roots of ground covers help reduce erosion. Creeping liriope (Liriope spicata) grows from 8 to 12 inches tall with a similar spread. This fast-growing evergreen is hardy in zones 4 to 9 and prefers partial to full shade and well-drained soil. Liriope has dark green, grasslike foliage and produces clusters of purple-to-white flowers, followed by blue-black berries.

  The Andorra juniper (Juniperus horizontalis "Andorra") grows well on slopes with full-sun exposure and well-drained soil. This evergreen is hardy in zones 6 to 8 and grows to 18 inches tall. Andorra juniper forms a dense carpet of light-green foliage that turns purplish in winter.

Shrubs

• Shrub roots also help to stabilize slopes and reduce runoff. The Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidate) grows well on slopes. This evergreen is hardy in zones 4 to 7 and grows slowly to 6 feet tall with a 7-foot spread. It has short leaves that grow in V-shaped rows and produces red berries. Japanese yew prefer sun to shade and sandy, well-drained soil.

  The Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) has deciduous to semi-evergreen foliage and produces aromatic, waxy berries. It grows to 10 feet tall with an equal spread and is hardy in zones 3 to 7. Northern bayberries thrive in sun to partial shade and tolerate a range of soils.

Perennials

• Flowering, herbaceous perennials add color and stability to a sloping garden and come back year after year. For shady sites, plant dead nettle (Lamium maculatum). This perennial grows from 8 to 12 inches tall and blooms with pink flowers from spring through summer. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8 and thrives in shade and moist, well-drained soil. Dead nettle has variegated silver-green foliage.

  For sunny slopes, plant daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.). These perennials bloom in spring and summer with maroon, orange, yellow and pink flowers. They grow from 2 to 3 feet tall and are hardy in zones 3 to 9. Daylilies grow well in full sun to partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil.