cover plants for sunny hill

[ssaamm]

Hello, I have a question for you folks in the know out there. We have a SW-facing hill on our property that the previous owners cleared of trees. It helped the view but looks fairly bland and unnatural. We would like to spruce it up a bit. The wild grass on this hill is pretty dried out by getting pounded by the sun. The soil is on the sandy side as well. We don't want a bunch of tall tress do dominate the view--just some nice bushes or ground cover of some sort. I have liked the look of sumac. Would this plant work in this kind of setting? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

[LABS4ME]

The sumac will probably work, but you posted you didn't want something too tall. Sumac has no problem reaching 8' in height.... There is a shrub form sumac called "Gro-Low Sumac" or Fragrant Sumac that would work, these only attain a height of around 18". It does not resemble the sumac most people are familiar with at all. Or you can try a plant called Polygonom (Fleeceflower) which is in the perennial / ground cover family. Both should spread well and give you good erosion control. I'd kill off the grass with a non-selective herbicide and mulch the hill after doing the new plantings to help the plants get established. Mix in 1/3 topsoil to 2/3 existing soil for your backfill mixture. Make sure to use new plant fertizer and maybe some mycorrhiza (to promote root growth) into the soil mix as well. This will geive them a leg up when planting in sandy soil.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Abrams]

Plant a pin oak = nice shape, loves sandy soil, will not block a view, wildlife love their acorns and they are fast growning.

[irvingdog]

Day lillies, Day lillies, Day lillies, Day lillies, Day lillies!!!

[ssaamm]

Thanks for the replies. They were helpful.