Shrubs for slopes

Tricky inclines are no match for these fast-growing, low-maintenance plants

Without A Dougbt, gardening on an exposed slope can be anightmare. It's almost impossible to establish any plantings.Heavy rains carry away any topsoil not held down by roots. In times of drought, the soil is bone-dry and inhopitable todesirable plantstrying to make headway, while weeds growbigger and better. As a landscape designer in the hills of Virginia,I am all too familiar with the conundrum of planting on slopes,so I have built up an arsenal of low-growing shrubs that can takeabeating yet quickly gain ground. These shrubs must have a vigorous,soil-holding root system and a tight mesh of shoots that diffuses heavy rains. Iavoid plants with excessive pest or disease problems and those that stray too far from their original planting site.Thorn-free shrubs always make maintenance easier. Plants that leaf out early and hold their leaves until late fall rise to the top of the heap. Here is a list of seven great plants I use to tackle challenging slopes.