A bank and ground cover suggestions

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cheeky chicken
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A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by cheeky chicken »

Hi
Just been out with the pick axe. We have moved house and have a bank that needs planting. It is about 15mtres long and about 3 metres from ground to the top. At the moment it is covered by that spreading buttercup plant and clumps of grass, dock leaves etc, you get the general idea. It needs clearing and replanting with some type of ground cover, large plants that will spread and are perennial.
My questions are:
What's the best way to clear it, so the weeds stay away? My current method is pick axing it and trying to sort through the weeds and soil. Should I use a weed killer first?
What sort of plants should I use? [b][/b] It is a Northwest facing bank and gets the sun in the morning and afternoon. I don't want to spend a whole heap of money, but I do want results.
Your advice is much appreciated, any sort of lead to follow would be great.
(Also my OH went out and bought these alpine type plants, They are really for rock gardens etc, so it says. Should I plant these on this bank?
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lancashire lass
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by lancashire lass »

Weedkiller can be useful and kill off a lot of the established perennial weeds but what usually happens is that the ground once cleared and open will encourage weed seeds to germinate - often with a ferocity worse than the original problem as they all compete for the new light. Further weedkiller treatments will be necessary. Meanwhile, there is a risk that all the goodness in the soil could get washed out if we have another summer like last year.

You could cover the area with a good quality weed suppressant material and then plant through it. As for what to plant, I'm afraid that is a bit out of my area ...
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by Maggie1 »

These are not instant as nothing is except weeds. However these make lovely ground cover plants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteospermum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypericum_calycinum
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Homemade
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by Homemade »

How steep is the slope? The trouble with most plantings on a slope is as LL says that the soil gets washed off as soon as you expose the surface and it takes a while for new ground cover to lock it back in place. A good weed suppressant fabric as LL suggests is a good idea if you are going to plant individual ground cover shrubs like Prostrate Junipers. If you want to plant suckering ground cover like the hypericum then do not use the fabric but put on a bark mulch to last untill the plants are established.

On a North west bank you could go for tough plants like Euphorbia robbiae and Alchemilla mollis, hardy geraniums, lily of the valley, lamiums, bergenias and ladies bedstraw.

For maximum impact choose just a few plant types and plant in blocks to give a good splash of each.

On no account plant the alpines here, they really need far more care and weeding than is possible on this size of bank. Put them in a sink garden!

If you could consider a more radical approach you might try terracing the bank, putting in a small wall to give you flat and vertical areas to plant with more exciting shrubs and roses. This is really effective if you can afford the cost of the walling.
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Mo
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by Mo »

Drat - lost that post!

Cotoneasteer Horizontallisis a spreading groundcover shrub

Periwinkle -Vinca major & Vinca minor a perenial that is a good spreading groundcovering perenial. Cheerful blue flowers at this time of year. Ours grows a bit straggly so we take the shears to it and give it an annual haircut.
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Mo
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by Mo »

I wonder whether clematis montana would tumble down a bank the way it rampages up a wall and into the gutters?
Ahha, the link says it produces more flowers when grown horizontally. Ours is just coming into flower now, it is usually covered in small pink stars.
Thats the one! plant it and give it plenty of space to spread.
Another 'haircut after flowering' job.
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cheeky chicken
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by cheeky chicken »

That's great. Thankyou very much for the ideas, lots of googling to follow now..... )t'
I really am a novice! I like the idea of the weed suppressant material. Already got bliters from te pickaxing! and yes, the soil is all falling down the bank. Its quite a steep bank I would say the gradient is 45 degrees. Best get researching.
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stewpot
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by stewpot »

Osteospermum is lovely plant but not good ground cover by way of blocking other weeds out as spruots from the one root and things like grass grow through.

Some of the tougher and vigourous alpines are good like the saxifrages and trailing saxefrages. Also aubretia works well especially allong a wall if you terrace. Sedums may work as some varieties spread really well but do need keeping under control. Try Geranium Crane's Bill as grows well and forms good clumbs

If you do terrace ir remember the walls don't have to be rocks. You can scrounge nice chunks of hardcore or freecycle/guntree or bricks if want it more formal. Can always cover with trailers later
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Homemade
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Re: A bank and ground cover suggestions

Post by Homemade »

Forgot the obvious of course. You could put it to grass and strim it or mow with a hover mower. Looks particularly good if you get snowdrops and primroses to grow in it.
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