Very difficult for us to tell the actual grade unless we were to see it from multiple angles with the camera always held level.

Where it is moderate slope, strand/shredded wood products (not chucks or chips) will resist washing the best. Where the slope is greater and water is moving faster, it will require something like excelsior mat (think of it as airy felt) pinned to the soil with spikes.

Mulch it solidly so that no soil is exposed to light and this will help cut down germinating weed seeds. While it is mostly mulch, you'll be able to spray any weeds that come with glyphosate while trying to avoid any of the groundcover you've started.

Groundcovers tend to be easy to propagate on account of their penchant for spreading sideways due to above or below-ground runners. A way to get a lot for cheap is see if you can find someone who has it in an unimportant area (not their front landscape bed!), who would be willing to sell you roots. You may be able to get a huge amount of roots from one square foot of pachysandra bed. (I have done this with other groundcovers, but not pachysandra so don't know exactly what you'll run into. But for example, if I dug a square foot of perennial peanut roots, it would be enough to start 100 square feet of bed that would grow in thick by the end of the season. It's an exponential result for the effort.) To install, plant roots, top and all just under the soil surface and keep damp. Soon, the roots will sprout.

Tree limbs + chipper = woodchips. The best mulch ever to smother weeds, cover and protect the ground while you get a groundcover going.

Agree with everything Yard said, except his inevitable resort to glyophosphate (roundup) to kill spot weeds. Why?? So unnecessary, so dated. Just dig them out. It's not that difficult!

"Why??" Of the two methods side by side, it is waaaaaay more time and effort to dig out weeds, especially if they are established. Also, if one has a screwed up back, as I do, there is as little bending done as possible. Not least, I don't share the belief that glyphosate is the evil of the world. It does not last without end and breaks down into harmless substances. That said, I'm also conservative and appreciate when it doesn't need to be used. The method of ground smothering with paper/cardboard and mulch works great and I love it. While I don't hesitate to spray Round-up where I need to, I don't actually need to much because I keep weeds under control with groundcover, hand pulling (on my knees) and a little mulch for the bald spots. Glyphosate is something I'd use much more of at the beginning of taming a wild property, than I would in maintaining a tame one.

Is it possible that you could build it into three tiers? That way each section would be level and erosion would be less of a problem. It would also be easier to walk in as you will have to do maintenance at some point.

Otherwise I suggest landscape burlap to help with the erosion as the plants fill out.

It looks like this although this is called jute. If the fabric is not enough to stop the erosion you can get the silt fence which is the roll at the bottom as in this picture.

As far as the plants go, you can buy plugs which are smaller plants.

You may be able to find a faster growing plant than the Pachysandra.

You say the site is very sunny. Pachysandra will not like a lot of sun. It's best in shade. Junipers might be a better choice.

Junipers are a good choice. Make the effort to find native ones. The big box stores carry only Asian, which are of no ecological benefit, an important consideration when covering a substantial area. Consider installing a. Bird house or two for more interest.

"The big box stores carry only Asian [Junipers], which are of no ecological benefit ..." What actual aspect of the plants is making this difference?

Lespedeza (bush clover) is commonly seeded on whole slopes in eastern US for beautification and erosion control.

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses. The area is definitely in full sun. The photo shows the most shade and that was 8-9 am. As the day progresses, the sun is more direct and covers more. @laceyvail 6A, WV @emmarene9 I did not think about pachysandra not doing well in the sun. I guess that's out then. I am really not a huge fan of Juniper, to be honest. I have always looked at this as woody and just not my cup of tea. Regarding the tired approach. I had not really given that any thought. I think this point I am gone too far to redo it. I have 2 other projects on the run on the property also.

@Yardvaark @Christopher CNC Thanks for your feedback. I am chipping all the branches hopefully this sat. If it appears too steep, I will get some shredded mulch also to tie it together. I Seeded the top and loads of Straw yesterday. hopefully, we will get away with no thunderstorms for a few weeks.

@Yardvaark I had never see this bush clover before. Is it a low growing clover that roots everywhere or a single root bush?

How is vinca minor as ground cover to protect and spread? Any other options that would line full sun?

thanks for your input everyone. Much appreciate it

Thanks, I will look to see if this might work.

How is your bush cover doing? I'm considering it for a hill problem we have in zone 6a/5b

I ended just seeding last year as work pickup up again pretty quickly. I have since gotten a local landscape guy to do up a plan for me that I hope to start implementing next year. Takes a long time when doing it on your own and you also work f/t.. but we are getting there

Perhaps consider plants with rhizome type roots. They spread and create colonies. Golden groundsel would be nice.