Anonymous wrote:Corsican mint. Sounds perfect. Photos online might be close ups. The leaves (circular) are very tiny, like 1/3 of a petite pea.

growth of mint will be hard to control

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/mint/invasive-mint-how-to-kill-mint-plants.htm

http://www.rootsimple.com/2010/10/this-is-why-mint-is-invasive/

Anonymous wrote:Vinca, maybe.

Invasive: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/vimi.htm

Corsican mint. Sounds perfect. Photos online might be close ups. The leaves (circular) are very tiny, like 1/3 of a petite pea.

WHat kind of grass seed have you tried? There are certain varieties that are more adapted to shade, fine fescue being one.

There are also certain ground covers that do well in shade (e.g., pachysandra and partridgeberry) but I'm having trouble thinking of a ground cover that will withstand frequent foot traffic.

Or maybe make a patio?

Vinca, maybe.

Anonymous wrote:FYI, certain ground covers take less water/pesticides than the traditional lawn:
https://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/see/MBGAlternativeLawn.asp

The traditional lawn in Maryland shouldn't really need any water or pesticides, unless you think your lawn should look like a traditional golf course.

Mondo grass is not well suited for heavy foot traffic.

Mondo grass. It comes in all heights from 4 inches to 10.

FYI, certain ground covers take less water/pesticides than the traditional lawn:
https://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/see/MBGAlternativeLawn.asp

Anonymous wrote:thanks for these ideas from op. when i searched for images of the plantings mentioned, they all seems to grow a few feet, so while they would look nice, i don't see us walking through and playing on it (esp me - I'd be worried that some kind of wildlife was hiding in the grass!). I would definitely do the wood chips, but my kids are protesting that bc it is their play area in the yard. It is a small area - probably 4 feet wide by 20 feet long (almost like a bowling alley length).

Well, you'd have to mow it!

http://www.bbg.org/gardening/article/sedge_lawns

For a small lawn, buy a manual mower with a bin for the clippings:
http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-2000-20-20-Inch-Classic-Mower/dp/B00004RA3E

thanks for these ideas from op. when i searched for images of the plantings mentioned, they all seems to grow a few feet, so while they would look nice, i don't see us walking through and playing on it (esp me - I'd be worried that some kind of wildlife was hiding in the grass!). I would definitely do the wood chips, but my kids are protesting that bc it is their play area in the yard. It is a small area - probably 4 feet wide by 20 feet long (almost like a bowling alley length).

Pennsylvania sedge
Red Fescue

possibly stone crop

If you grow ajuga, make sure you clear it with the neighbors first, because they will soon have ajuga too.

How big is the area? I can't think of anything that would withstand shade, people walking and playing on it, and sedimentation. If the area is not very big, would it work to just dump a lot of wood-chip mulch on it once a year?

Also, is it your stone retaining wall? If so, could you do something about the erosion? The sedimentation isn't good, but the prospect of a retaining wall collapse may be worse.

maybe Ajuga (AKA Bugle)

It has proven very difficult to grow grass in the yard on one side of our house, due to mostly shade and also because it is bordered by a loosely packed stone retaining wall so there is a lot of dirt that flows down the slope above, over and through the wall, and onto the yard. It is a small area but we walk through it a lot to get to the back of the house, and my kids play here too. I'd like to plant some kind of low maintenance ground covering that can deal with these conditions. Any suggestions? Other than ivy - we've got enough of that in other areas of the yard becAuse the property is pretty sloped so ivy is planted on various of the slopes.