
Groundcover for a Sun-drenched Slope
I live in Zone 5. What are some good choices of groundcover that will give us the best results for covering a sun-drenched slope?
Creeping junipers, gro-low fragrant sumac and snowberry (Symphoicarpos) are short shrubs often used for this purpose. Native grasses and prairie plants can create a beautiful hillside while controlling erosion. Little bluestem and prairie dropseed are a few of the lower growing prairie grasses to consider. Barrenstrawberry (Waldsteinia fragaroides), wineleaf cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata), bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), sedums and creeping phlox are more traditional groundcovers that take full sun. No matter what groundcover you choose, site preparation is critical. If the soil is in good shape consider killing off the existing vegetation and leaving it in place to stabilize the bank and serve as a mulch. Then plant through this layer of dead material. Add a layer of shredded bark or other organic material that will stay in place will help conserve moisture and further reduce weed problems as your groundcover becomes established.
Related
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
March 22, 23, 29, 30, 2025
REALTORS Home & Garden Show
West Allis, WI
March 26, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Succession Planting & Crop Rotation
Register here
March 27, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Rain Garden Q & A
Register here
April 2, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Container Gardens for Sun & Shade
Register here
April 10, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Reinvigorate Your Rain Garden
Register here
April 12, 2025
Plant a Colorful & Edible Spring Garden
Pasquesi Home & Gardens
Lake Bluff, IL
April 26, 2025
Organic Gardening Basics
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 3, 2025
Low-Maintenance Gardening
Merton, WI
Register here
May 7, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Vertical Gardening
Register here
May 10, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 11, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 15, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
7 Steps to Managing Water on Your Property
Register here
May 17, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 18, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
June 4, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Attracting Hummingbirds
Register here
June 8, 2025
Selecting the Right Hydrangea
for Your Landscape
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More