bulbs to retain soil on a slope??

[Anonymous]

New gardener here looking for some tips from experts. We have a slope of dense, not too bad soil that falls down toward the street on one edge of backyard. I'm looking for a way to naturally retain that soil, like rooty plants that would hold it in place. Could I plant a ton of daffodils and lillies and have them retain the soil? Would anything work better?

[Anonymous]

Forgot to add, are there any edible plant options that would be good for retaining land here? Like mint? I know mint grows like a weed. Could be nice?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, me again. If not edible, suggestions for plants that would help retain and attract butterflies and bees would be very welcome.

[Anonymous]

Trees are great for this. And ground cover. Bulbs are pretty but their root systems are too small to prevent erosion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trees are great for this. And ground cover. Bulbs are pretty but their root systems are too small to prevent erosion.

thanks! Just looking up ground covers, and I found this for edible suggestions:

"For fruiting ground cover, try planting a mix of lingonberries, strawberries, American cranberry, Creeping Oregon grape (tart but edible) and wintergreen. With the wintergreen you can use both the leaves and the berries that appear during the winter.

If you want to stick with herbs your best bets are sage, mint, oregano, chamomile and thyme. All of these grow low to the ground and are good spreaders."

So maybe mint is a good option?

[Anonymous]

The tree suggestion is unfortunately out though. For a few different reasons, can't do trees.

[Anonymous]

Try pachysandra.

[Anonymous]

The problem with some of the plants you thought of OP is that they will not be there in winter. Check out an evergreen - like blue rug juniper.

[Anonymous]

What the degree of slope?

[Anonymous]

Mint looks nice and lush early in the year but will look a bit ratty as summer starts. If you want perennials something like Daylilies or liriope might work. If you are patient, slow growers like pachysandra, mondo grass or creeping juniper are options.

[Anonymous]

wint is just explosive. You might spent all your time digging it up. Pachysandra is a good suggestion. Ivy of course. I have liriope on a hill and it works. Daylillies are nice if you have sun.

[Anonymous]

"mint" ^^. I should hang it up for the day.

[Anonymous]

One problem with daffodills and other bulbs is that once they've bloomed (and you've deadheaded them), they must naturally die back to feed the bulb for next year. During that time, your hill will look shabby unless you have something else growing in front of it or around the dying back bulbs to cover up the dying daffodil.

[Anonymous]

Tress aren't really that useful for this application. You want a shrub or Bush with dense roots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, me again. If not edible, suggestions for plants that would help retain and attract butterflies and bees would be very welcome.

Creeping Phlox