you could try variegated (white and green) vinca major that does well in the shade and provides some lavender flowers in spring but don't go crazy planting too many. They spread and love hillsides and the white on the leaves brightens the shade. You could first install some posts with cute birdhouses for a vertical element of interest.

That big tree may die with all that heavy soil on its roots.

At most you'll need 2-3 2 gallon tubs of the vinca major and with a couple years (maybe 4) they will have covered that hillside.

oh, and vinca major doesn't mind a covering of fall leaves. In fact, they prefer some protection from both sun and winter's frigid temps. They will push right through the leaves in spring to flower and the leaves will break down to feed the vinca.

Hi dottiecarrano.

That could work. I mean, I agree that vinca major would effectively cover the hill but it may be too invasive.

Does the variegated kind grow less vigorously?

Love the birdhouses idea! We have a very active feeder but so far no houses. I always figured the birds would prefer the woods and their ground nests to wooden houses. Either way it would be pretty and decorative.

About the tree, not sure it's in trouble. My photo angle might not be showing it accurately. We have never laid any soil there. Whatever is there has been there for at least 10 years since this house was built.

But thank you for pointing that out. I will take a closer look asap.

Is it just forest behind you at the bottom of the hill? Photo doesn't show any grassy area between open soil and porch but there must be something there because that's where your porch door is. If it's sunnier up by the top of the hill that will deter too much vinca growth. They prefer the dappled shade. I like the major better than the small leafed minor vinca and the variegated are much more pleasant to look at as a purposeful planting for a hillside.

Yes, just woods beyond the hill. We have a narrow "cat walk" to move about behind the porch. I erected a short retaining wall following construction of the porch to keep us from breaking our necks back there. There is probably 4' of cat walk before you reach the wall then the grade starts to go down. You may be able to see that I have 4 helleri hollies there that I moved to help control erosion near the wall. I terraced them at planting and they are doing well. I provide extra water to make sure they are kept moist. But they prefer the sun at the top.

The variegated form of the vinca is nicer, I agree, and I could incorporate some into the landscaping plan though I am wary about using it for the entire hill. I see this used in town on shady slopes at public parks but they are very vigorous and tend to climb the trees. They have public works people to control that but here it's only me and DH, and we're not getting any younger! :)

Do you like the idea of ferns? Someone on another board suggested that and I'm thinking it is a good candidate for a woodland garden like this. Just have to pick the best variety. Any favorites?

Ferns are lovely but will anyone see them on the hillside?

You might consider planting spring blooming bulbs. They'll like the drainage and not having wet feet in winter to rot the bulb. Clusters here and there, 5-7 (always odd number) and use some bone meal in the hole you dig to set the cluster. But first erect the posts you plan for vertical interest be it cute, quirky bird houses or some other elements to attract curiosity from your porch level. It's a little soon to plant the bulbs.

You know what else would love that spot is winter daphne, so fragrant in Jan Feb and they have variegated forms and it grows 1-3' on a sloped area. So sensitive to wet feet they need the sharp drainage this hill will provide. They get a little top heavy so a stout low stake would be helpful on the downside of the planting, not for tying but for leaning.

Mahonia has really nice shaped leaves, bluish seed berries and sharply yellow flower (racemes?) and a good contrast to your other plants. It will want to be watered until it settles in.

Don't forget that at the very top where it gets some sun is perfect for English and French lavender.

Oh, and vinca doesn't have the ability and structures to climb as ivy does. They simply grow over and past low rocks and tree stumps and look to be climbing tree trunks but they really aren't.

Hmmm, well in my quest for what is best I have decided that smaller is better than taller, so the ferns would be fine. The main reason being that we like seeing the tree trunks from our porch and don't want tall plants blocking that.

My initial idea was deciduous native azaleas but that will have too much height and purportedly the deer like them a lot. Azaleas are abundant in my immediate area and they are so spectacular in spring when situated in the woodland setting, so perhaps I will plant one off to the side as a specimen.

I've read more about the vinca and think it would be fine but would opt for the minor variety instead of major, because my sources all agree it tends to get too rambunctious.

How pretty is that winter daphne! The smell must be wonderful. It is known to die easily but maybe the good drainage of the hill would prevent that. The height is favorable too. So great suggestion!

I have admired mahonia in books but seem to avoid it in my garden. Probably the thorniness. I can see myself falling into that. Ouch!

What bulbs do you like that have a longish bloom time? I have crocuses in another bed, just a small drift. It was my first time with bulbs. They were a sight for sore eyes when they popped up last February! Didn't stay around long though. And my elephant ears never made their appearance at all. Did I plant it upside down or in a place that my DH laid one of his rocks?

Just thought I'd run these past you. They were the suggested groundcovers for shade listed at my area extension site and a good book by Bob Polomski.

1. Cast iron plant

2. St. John's wort

3. Green & Gold. (Won't thrive in dry shade?)

4. Dwarf mondograss (Blah?)

5. Yellow archangel (Herman's Pride)

6. Alleghany spurge (the native cousin of Japanese pachysandra)

If you have any experience with these do you feel that any are as worthwhile as the vinca?

Thank you for your creative ideas...

Only issue I have with ferns is they disappear during the winter months.

Your 6 plant choices you'll want to price out now because some of them are not very economical. You'll also want to factor in that deer, chipmunks, groundhogs could take over your hillside for feeding and burrowing.

Another great but disappearing plant (they die back and go dormant after spring) is bleeding heart (dicentra). Anywhere you install ferns or dicentra you'll want some sort of permanent marker so you know what to expect to come up in spring. Could try caladiums if you first sink a planter pot into the soil to mark your place. Planter helps keep the voles out and enough moisture in the soil contained on that hillside.

There are several varieties of evergreen or semi-evergreen ferns that would work in our area. Not sure they are economical enough, and the other choices I found would not be either, for the amount of ground we have to cover.

We already have squirrels, chipmunks and, to a lesser extent, deer. The rodents don't eat any plants and the deer only browse lightly. They have lots of vegetation in the woods.

We had caladiums in the summer of 2014 that did great but they did not return this summer. I dug in that bed to move something there temporarily and saw no evidence they had ever been there.

I assumed they were not cold hardy enough for our zone to be anything but annuals.

If we don't decide to save up for terracing and/or some kind of retaining wall then the best candidate for a plant-only erosion control seems to be the vinca minor.

I'd love to try the bleeding hearts somewhere else.

Thanks for your input!

Elizabeth,

Do you like rocks?

Yes, rocks are great. We have several on the property that have been excavated while planting shrubs but not enough to contribute in any meaningful way to the hill. What's your idea for the use of rocks if we happen to win the lottery? :^)

Thanks butterfly4u,

It looks nice, and pretty easy to do. I was picturing larger boulders that weigh tons and cost even more. I could incorporate some of this size as I go.

I bought the first batch of creeping myrtle today (10 @ $1.97 each from Home Depot) when I went to buy my annual pansies so I will begin planting the groundcovers soon.

The leaves are beginning to fall all over the pine straw and it looks good enough to crawl in and have a nap there. :^)

Are those concrete pavers for stepping on? How did you lay them? I really need something solid to step on.

Quick update: I planted the first 10 vinca minor today on the hill, staggering them for better coverage. Then I wasn't sure what to do about mulching.

Will the groundcovers spread properly through some pine straw?

I didn't think that bare soil would be advantageous as the soil would erode when it rains.

Vinca will root just fine through mulch - straw or whatever. I have a native fern, New York fern, Thelypteris noveboracensis, that would work for you here, I think. It is native to your area, is only about 1' - 1 1/2' tall, and will duke it out with the vinca, but with both surviving I imagine. It isn't evergreen, though. IME it spreads at a good rate, but mowing any edges where you don't want it will keep it in bounds.