Plant suggestions...

[bobm]

I have about a 15' x 4' x2.5'tall meandering and sloping sided hill at one side of a dry ,river rock creek that is shaded by a neighbor's house and fence all morning then the hot Western sun in the afternoons. I have a 6' tall ( mature to 10' ) Japanese Maple tree as well as a 6' tall Black Lace Elderberry 2 years old at each end of the hill with will provide more shade as they grow. I had some wild strawberries planted there, but they decided to expire last winter during a prety hard week long snow and freeze @ 15*. So ... what type of very low growing , perannual, drought tolerant ( just water from the big sprinkler in the sky ) , cold tollerant, and very low maintenance , tough as nails, good looking/ interesting plant would you suggest ?

 

[thistlebloom]

Astro turf.

 

[baymule]

Silk flowers.

 

[so lucky]

How about an ivy? Or, isn't there a succulent that can be used as a ground cover....ice plant?

 

[Nyboy]

vinca they have blue or white flowers early spring. I have pachasandra on my creek sides, carefree but kind of boring

 

[ducks4you]

Vinca now comes in brighter colors, too.
Read this:
http://www.gardensmart.tv/pages.php?page=episodes&subpage=2014_show45
Walters Gardens specialize in shade plants, and there were so many more than I knew about.
I have some hostas that will NOT multiply unless they have some sun. Certainly you need to look into ground covers so that your soil won't erode.

 

[bobm]

PS. : In addition to the above wants for me .... The selected plants also have to pass the discriminating eyes of the Washington State Master Gardener inspection committee for the Clark County Garden Tour . Tall order, right ? But I know that you all will come with the right plants !

 

[ninnymary]

Why don't you ask one of those members for suggestions?

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Here you go Bob, a list of ground covers for your perusal. These are from Great Plant Picks, a group from your PNW locale. ( http://www.greatplantpicks.org/ )

Sedum kamtschaticum var. ellacombeanum Japanese stonecrop ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum selskianum Amur sedum ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum sieboldii October daphne sedum ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Doctor John Creech’ two-row stonecrop 0.3' 0.1m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Fuldaglut’ two-row stonecrop 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Green Mantle’ two-row stonecrop ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Pink Jewel’ two-row stonecrop 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Purpurteppich’ two-row stonecrop 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Raspberry Red’ two-row stonecrop 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Salmoneum’ two-row stonecrop ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Schorbuser Blut’ dragon's blood sedum 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor’ variegated two-row stonecrop 0.5' 0.2m perennial
Sedum spurium ‘White Carpet’ two-row stonecrop ' 0.0m perennial
Sedum ‘Bertram Anderson’ stonecrop .5' 0.2m perennial

Geranium × cantabrigiense hardy geranium, cranesbill .7' 0.2m perennial
Geranium × cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ hardy geranium, cranesbill .7' 0.2m perennial
Geranium × cantabrigiense ‘Cambridge’ hardy geranium, cranesbill .7' 0.2m perennial
Geranium × cantabrigiense ‘Karmina’ hardy geranium, cranesbill .7' 0.2m perennial
Geranium macrorrhizum hardy geranium, cranesbill 1' 0.3m perennial
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ hardy geranium, cransebill 1' 0.3m perennial
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Bevan's Variety’ hardy geranium, cranesbill 1' 0.3m perennial
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Czakor’ hardy geranium, cranesbill 1' 0.3m perennial
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Ingwersen's Variety’ hardy geranium, cranesbill 1' 0.3m perennial


That should keep you busy. Note that the Geranium listings are not the Pelargonium geraniums, but they are hardy geraniums, aka Cranesbill.

 

[thistlebloom]

PS. : In addition to the above wants for me .... The selected plants also have to pass the discriminating eyes of the Washington State Master Gardener inspection committee for the Clark County Garden Tour . Tall order, right ? But I know that you all will come with the right plants !

I thought you had a very low opinion of your local MG's?