Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - March 03, 2009
From: Tarrytown, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Erosion Control, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Difficult slope in Tarrytown NY
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I hope you can help. Is there a way to plant some native shrubs and plants on a steep slope that is filled in some areas with rock without having to tier the slope? The section is approximately 50' wide and slopes up to 8-9' high. After the 8-9' slope, the property does level off to a 5'flat section across the 50' width. Does naturally into a slope makes sense? Please let me know what you think. Many thanks- MaribethANSWER:
Much as we hate to admit it, there are some problems that native plants cannot fix. We are gardeners and not landscape architects, and we find it difficult to even visualize the area in question. You could probably plant some shrubs and grasses on this slope, but it sounds like you would need special equipment just to keep you and your plant from rolling down the hill in the process. Erosion is probably going to be a big concern, and native grasses would certainly help that. There again, just getting the grasses started would be difficult. Our suggestion is to get help from someone who can actually look at the area and knows how to deal with it. If you go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, and type in the name of your town and state in the "Enter Search Location" box, you will get a list of native plant nurseries, seed companies and landscape and environment consultants in your general area. There are contact numbers and websites.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Plants for a drainage easement in central Texas
September 29, 2008 - I have a 1/3 acre of drainage easement behind my home. I would like to cover it with wildflowers. It is only wet during or shortly after a rain and otherwise does not have water. I have channelled ...
view the full question and answer
Indiangrass by seed or plugs in Greenville SC
October 18, 2009 - Mr Smarty Plants, is it better to establish Indiangrass by plugs or seed? Seems you would get much quicker coverage by seed, tending to choke out "strangers".
I'm establishing a small native mea...
view the full question and answer
Shade grasses for central Texas
November 16, 2014 - We are new to the area and bought a home this summer that has lots of shade in the very small backyard. The problem is that there was new sod laid in the backyard which now is 50% dead. We do not kno...
view the full question and answer
Small, flowering, evergreen plants for hillside in Austin.
October 27, 2007 - I have a steep, dry hillside measuring approximately 4 feet high by six feet wide. I want to plant low growing, evergreen, flowering plants across the bed that will flower as long as possible, and thr...
view the full question and answer
Distinguishing Bermuda grass from Buffalo grass
June 14, 2007 - Is Bermuda grass taking over my Buffalo grass lawn? I recently sodded a small area of Buffalo Grass 'Prairie' (last fall). It's doing beautifully, or so I think. There are stolons running and reach...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |