I Have A Steep Slope At The Front Of Our…
Nancy Asked
I have a steep slope at the front of our house that can be seen from a number of rooms in the house. The slope gets full sun and the soil is red clay. I would like to plant juniper Gray Owl as the focal point. My question is, what would you recommend as companion plants? There are no other plants on the slope.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Nancy in North Carolina: Planting on a slope can be tricky but choosing the right plant material to fill in the space can give you a well-landscaped, low-maintenance garden in a space that otherwise might be an eyesore. Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’ is a great choice for planting on a slope. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and its silvery-blue evergreen foliage will provide winter interest. It will only reach 2-3 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide at maturity. It has a nice arching growth habit, making it perfect for use as a groundcover. It is also helpful in terms of erosion control if this is an issue for you. As for companion plantings we want to only consider those plants that are just as low-maintenance as the juniper, so once they are planted they will not require pruning or cutting back each season. I am not sure of the size of your space or what you are thinking in terms of height, but I am going to assume you are looking for creeping, low-growing groundcovers to fill the space. Some options to consider are: Carolina jasmine, which has green foliage and yellow flowers in the spring. Any of the sedums would be a great choice. They all spread and thrive in the full sun. ‘Angelina’ is a chartreuse colored sedum that would be a nice contrast to the junipers. Lamb’s Ear would also be a good lighter green foliage option. Black Mondo grass would be an interesting color contrast. Dianthus has a mat-forming growth habit with a bluish-green grass-like foliage. These evergreen perennials flower in May. Creeping thyme is an option that would offer some fragrance. For other ideas for evergreen groundcovers in North Carolina you can visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/quickref/ground%20cover/groundcover.html. Another smaller evergreen shrub you might consider is Nandina ‘Gulf Stream.’ This is a dwarf variety that does not have a spreading growth habit but the new foliage has a burgundy color, which would be a nice contrast to the juniper. Chamaecyparis ‘Filifera Mops’ is a low-growing evergreen with a spreading habit and chartreuse foliage, which would also be a nice contrast. Whichever plants you choose it is always a good idea to draw a sketch before planting. Designing the space before you install the plants will be helpful, especially in your case since planting on a slope is not the easiest of tasks.
