Idea's for a "sheer drop" slope?

Silent Runner

Hi all

I'm doing a little brain storming at the minute as to what to do with the border of our garden. Our back garden has a sheer drop off, 90-70 degree 2 meters in height. The garden is about 5-9 meters in width (approx 30-40m x 5m). The slope is north faceing, is borderline sun/shade. The land on top is flat agricultural land. I've got two idea's

I've thought about planting a native hedge (a mix of Whitethorn/Blackthorn/Dog rose) because I don't like evergeen shrubs and they'll attract more garden birds. But even if I plant them thight to the bank and prune them close to the bank, I'm a little concerned it will make the garden more thinner and limit my options if I want to do something with the garden in the future.

The other is to plant an evergreen ground covering plant which might cover the bank. But how realistic would it be to get a plant to grow on such a steep bank? Some of the plants I was thinking of was "Vinca minor", "
chocolate vine" or even Heather plants.

Any advice would be great

ponddigger

hi, any photos.jack

Silent Runner

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57540004@N05/8544886620/
First photo is taken from the corner of the garden, there's a small veg plot there. This border runs straight East-West, north facing and is exposed. Soil isn't the best as the ground was excavated years ago. The land owner has planted a few hawthorns up above.

On from the second photo the garden bends and is more east facing and gets near full sun. There is a more gentle slope which might allow me to plant hardy perennials. This part of the garden tapers out so it might not be the best area to start a hedge.

I don't want to start a hedge at the ben of the garden as we've a nice Larch growing there and it will just get too thight for space. I've thought about planting foxgloves on the slope there.

padi89

You could plants lots of primroses including some varieties from kennedys.

They did a section on this last year on gardeners world with carol klein the area was a steep shady bank.
The plants she used were as follows

Vinca minor f.alba Gertrude Jekyll
Polypodium vulgare common polypody
Asplenum scolopendrium Harts tongue fern
Pulmonaria officinalis Common Lungwort
Euphorbia amygdaloides Purperea
Snowdrops

Suggested wild flowers and welsh poppies
Plant also toward the upper half of the slope as the seed will fall down spreading faster

Silent Runner

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Thanks they sound like good idea's

I plan to remove/cut down all the Gorse and brambles and maintain the banks a bit more.

Just wondering if a hedge planted with mixed Burnet Rose/Dog Rose and Black/Whitethorn could be encouraged to grow thoight to the bank (North facing one) without impeading on the small garden