Steep, Sunny, Shale Hillside: No-Mow Planting Plan

A steep, full-sun hillside with shale and clay soil grows only patchy weeds. Forsythia and rose of Sharon thrive at the top. Past attempts with pachysandra (too shady) and creeping phlox (uncertain) failed. Goals: eliminate mowing, minimize maintenance.

Establishment Protocol

1. Rototill a thin layer of topsoil into the surface where nutrients are absent.
2. Lay jute erosion mesh (1-inch grid) and staple securely.
3. Mulch heavily with pine straw or shredded wood over the jute.
4. Cut planting holes every 3 feet; install sun-loving, spreading perennials and shrubs.

Plant Palette

• Junipers: 'Blue Rug', 'Bar Harbor', 'Wiltonii'—evergreen, spreading, drought-proof.
• Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei): Fast, tough, evergreen.
• Ornamental grasses: Miscanthus, little bluestem for movement and seed heads.
• Perennials: Yarrow, coneflower, black-eyed Susan, lavender, Russian sage.

Mix textures for a meadow aesthetic that stabilizes the slope permanently.

— Sean J. Murphy, Amenity Architects