What to plant in a steep slope

Ecat27

Hi all, I'm new to here but often lurk around getting tips!..

I have moved into a house with garden which will need a complete overhaul in time.  However i am doing it in sections so as not to get too overwhelmed.  The first bit I have started is 'the slope'.  It has involved clearing out a lot of brambles and overgrown privett from a section with a steep slope.  It's about 3x2 m2 (haven't actually measured it yet).   The soil seems quite sandy and I'm worried about it washing away so would like to get it planted up soonish.   Any ideas as to what would be good to plant to hold the soil together and also look nice?  the top of the slope is a sort of  concrete seating area, and the bottom is more of a 'wild' area (overgrown at moment but will eventually be a 'woodland glade - that's my vision anyway!).

I was thinking some grasses, but open to any ideas really - my main criteria is wildlife friendly.

It is roughly SE facing but shaded by trees and shrubs so it is a fairly sunny spot in the summer, but doesn't get full sun all day.  Is fairly sheltered though.  I'm in Norfolk if that helps.

Also any tips in general about planting into a sandy slope would be great -  I am an enthusiastic but fairly novice gardener!  In my previous garden I grew a beautiful but fairly easy perennial border.  This garden definitely feels more challenging!

Thanks in advance!

Pete.8

Welcome to the forum

The sort of plants that will help binding your soil together are mat forming plants many of which have rhizomes that form just under the soil surface and then spread outwards.

In my garden I've found Japanese anemones do a good job of that.

Ballyrobert have a list of mat-forming plants that may give you some ideas too.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of other suggestions on the forum.
https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/collections/plants/mat-forming

MikeOxgreen

Some Japanese Knotweed would hold it together really well  
(That is what it was used for originally).
But seriously, you need to look at what the soil does in all seasons, whether it dries out or not. If it dries out a lot, especially in Summer then that will reduce your choices.
 I have a 45 degree slope which is very dry, Hebes and lavenders have done ok there, i'm going to try Sebum next.
Heathers just died, but Spring bulbs do very well as they only need moisture for part of the year and they get it too.

Ecat27

Oh fantastic, thank you for this I will check out that link. 

I japanese anenomes  .

Busy-Lizzie

I had Hypericum Calycinum on a dry slope at a previous house. I've just looked it up and found a site that said "Excellent on slopes, in mass, or individually.  Drought, dry soil tolerant, it spreads quickly via underground stems to be a perfect erosion control."

Ecat27

Thanks for the advice everyone although I think I'll give the knotweed a miss!

Agree I don't actually know what the conditions will be like in the summer, so perhaps i shouldn't go too mad with plants until i know a bit more.  Someone suggested covering the slope with coir matting to prevent erosion, any thoughts on that?

Joyce Goldenlily

Ecat27 said:

Thanks for the advice everyone although I think I'll give the knotweed a miss!

Agree I don't actually know what the conditions will be like in the summer, so perhaps i shouldn't go too mad with plants until i know a bit more.  Someone suggested covering the slope with coir matting to prevent erosion, any thoughts on that?

I would agree with using something to lay on the surface as a retainer. You can peg it down and plant through holes cut into it. Periwinkle does well on slopes and poor soil, it comes in white, dark blue, pale blue, and pinkish mauvish flowers and is evergreen. If you pegged it down on the matting and cut a small hole for it to root through it would hold the soil in place. Exposed sandy soil is likely to wash down a slope in wet weather and possibly blow away in very dry conditions once exposed.
Gaultheria/Pernettya is an evergreen spreading shrub with lovely red, white or pink berries. It is prickly and has small white flowers which the bees love.
Cotoneaster horizontalis. Again, evergreen, small white flowers beloved by bees and scarlet berries which the birds leave until the very last before they eat them.

cmarkr

Ferns are also an option, I have a steep to very steep slope covered in harts tongue ferns, they definitely hold the soil together, I use them as ladder rungs to climb the slope.