[Vigilanteman]

We took the hillside on the west side of our house mostly down to build the 20' x 45' plateau for our 14' x 40' barn. Since this is SW Pennsylvania where exposed ground will grow nasty stuff like milkweed, thistle, Queen Anne's Lace and staghorn sumac if you don't plant SOMETHING for ground cover, I am looking for ideas beyond the clover which I started. I have ample volunteer English Ivy, Trumpet Vine, Rose of Sharon, catnip and other stuff. but I am looking to avoid high maintenance, and poison fruit yielding stuff like nightshade as well as prevent erosion.

Something that bloomed wouldn't be bad either.

The soil is high in clay content and compaction, is mostly sunny toward the front of the barn and mostly shady toward the back (north) where the natural drainage flow lies. You don't have to dig down very far to strike tree roots, so stuff that requires deep digging is out as well.

I know lots of my Freeper friends know more about landscaping than I do, so ideas are welcome.

[greeneyes]

I really like the “walk on me” thyme plants as an alternative ground cover.