What kind of groundcover should I use?

Question

I have a very large slope on my property that is difficult to mow. I would like to use a groundcover there. I am looking for something that will grow quickly, choke out weeds, and not need to mow. Prefer to keep it relatively cheap. I do not want the Juniper plants....they are uglier than the c**p that grows there now. Any ideas?

Answer 1

You could try Asiatic Jasmine. It is a really nice ground cover and it looks awesome. Go to Yahoo and look up Asiatic Jasmine.

Answer 2

Irish moss (Helxine soleirolii)  is a fast-growing, mat-forming perennial with creeping, rooting stems bearing small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous pinkish flowers.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/p...

Check out these comments on its aggressiveness & requirements before you plant it:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/5403...

Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp petiolaris)  is a  " vigorous, sprawling, deciduous vine that clings and climbs by aerial rootlets, typically growing 30-50'.  If grown as a ground cover, it can eventually spread to cover an area of up to 200 square feet." Scroll down page for photos showing their climbing on walls & slopes potential:

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plant...

http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

Vinca, several types of  Ivy (Hedera) , & Pachysandra, are evergreen groundcovers that  will climb over sloping areas.

Periwinkle, VInca, Myrtle (Vinca minor )

http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

Take a look at the variegated forms of Vinca. "The trick with the vinca ... is to be sure we get sufficient water down that slope to keep them healthy during rainless periods so they hold their looks, though the greater hope is that they will be doing fine with minimal care."

http://www.paghat.com/vincamaculata.html

A search for plants with the following characteristics: Evergreen, Climbing, Climber/Wall Shrub, Banks and Slopes, brought up nine different types of ivy:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/r...

There's even a variegated Ivy:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/p...

http://www.ivy.org/year_3.html

English Ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen vine or ground cover which can become an invasive weed.http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

Pachysandra terminalis Green Carpet might be slow growing until it gets established, but becomes an aggressive spreader once it is established:

http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

Purple Leaf Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei var. coloratus) Z 4-8  rapid growing, dense, trailing ground cover for the full sun to partial shaded areas. The leaves are green and change to plum-purple during the fall:

http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

Bittersweet, American Bittersweet is a rambling, very aggressive twining vine.  Foliage green in the summer and yellow in the fall:

http://www.plantstogrow.com/zPlantsDispl...

How about planting Wisteria...

it's beautiful, tough, tenacious & will cling to the rocks, climb & cover an area quickly.  Weeds will not stand a chance once Wisteria gets established:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sisudave/11...

http://www.hort.net/gallery/view/fab/wis...

http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/hort/plant...

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showima...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7678906@N06...

http://www.vivaidimontegiovanni.com/arbu...

Check the links to see which plants will match the sun/shade/moisture & zone requirements for your area.  Happy planting :)

Good luck!!!   Hope this is helpful.