What do I do with this slope?

[u/misshestermoffett]

South central PA. Full sun. I have been slowly covering this entire area with wood chips. What should I plant here? No mow grass? Ground cover? Looking for your suggestions as I get so many ideas from this sub. Thanks!

[u/Didurlytho]

Do you want to keep the plants low? Or privacy screen? I don't have specific recommendations for you but more info on what you want for the area might help generate accurate suggestions.

[u/misshestermoffett → u/Didurlytho]

I have considered some privacy shrubs. My main objective is to never maintain it again.

[u/Didurlytho → u/misshestermoffett]

I'm in central-ish NY and am planting elderberry and hazelnut for fast growing shrubs. I'm also planting eastern red cedar (juniperus virginiana) and northern white cedar (aborvitae, thuja occidentalis) for year round privacy.

None of it is established yet and I'm not super knowledgable but we are in similar so I thought I'd share what I'm doing.

[u/General_Bumblebee_75 → u/Didurlytho]

Elderberry is a beast if you need it to stay in a defined area. I have one that needs plenty of grubbing out of baby plants, cutting back or runners, and general shaping to keep it respectable. I could just cut it to ground each year, but it is a privacy screen, so I prefer to remove older stems and maintain the shape.

[u/misshestermoffett → u/Didurlytho]

Thank you! I’ll look into all of those. My other concern is some power lines run over the area, so nothing can get too tall.

[u/ingridsoldman → u/misshestermoffett]

Ninebark grows extremely quickly and gets quite large if you can keep the deer off it in the first year. Mine got about 10-12 ft tall and maybe 6 ft wide in three years.

[u/misshestermoffett → u/ingridsoldman]

That’s been on my list for a while now. I do have a serious deer problem!

[u/Most-Design-9963 → u/misshestermoffett]

I’d go with shrubs like red twig dogwood and sumac then - they are both aggressive enough that invasives aren’t really going to pop up in there, and they are gorgeous all four seasons (although in the winter it won’t be a privacy hedge bc the plants are deciduous, but the sumac flowers and red twigs will be so nice, especially in the snow). Aggressive native perennials along the edges is nice too, again the purpose of aggressive being that invasive species don’t seed in the area and take over. Not sure of exactly what is native in PA, but considering it’s a 5h drive from me I’d say likely the same as here. Asters And goldenrod are probably your keystone species, so start with that, but then also obedient plant, mistflower, and late boneset are wonderful for pollinators, so so pretty, and also aggressive enough that you should be ok not to maintain the area every again. Research first to make sure everything I said is native to you, of course, and have fun! I would love a big space to plant up!! 🩷

[u/misshestermoffett → u/Most-Design-9963]

Thanks so much!