How to plant on a slope (and other great sloping garden tips!)

[@Ash-xx5zd]

Dont have a slope ... but when I see a quality video, I KNOW. This is such a VALUABLE video. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 hope u have him on again. This video is so thorough and inspirational. 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dorotaazzopardi8718]

This is really great advice, I have a steep border and I was trying to figure out how to improve it- this link came just in time for my spring 2024 garden adventures 😊🍀

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@arlinenewlove1088]

Love this, so helpful. I have a sloped side yard that’s mostly barren with tall bushes at the top, monkey grass along the bottom edge and nothing in between. Just mulch. This has really helped me understand how to tackle putting in some perennials. Thanks so much

[@karynhitchman2498]

Thanks Alexandra, we have a very difficult slope which also has difficult access, this is very helpful and more like this would be really appreciated 😊

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm glad it was helpful and will bear that in mind.

[@FelixElliottHe]

Love your and Stephens’ duo episodes (as well as with Matthew!), Alexandra. Brings two completely different worlds of gardening together and gives so much inspiration to me ❤

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@tamarademarco5405]

finally someone that explains and shows in detail what to do on a slope. I agree with someone else's comment, that it could be longer!!! Very informative and practical. Thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rachelbird7798]

He was a great guest - lots of practical information and very enthusiastic!

[@vlink4071]

This was a great and timely video for me. I will use the info. Thank you!

[@mariondunn6580]

Many thanks for this. I'm planning a dry, rooty, steep slope and this was so practical and really helpful.

[@Neldidellavittoria]

Wonderful video. Seen lots of gardening vids but nobody touches this particular topic. Very useful advice. Especially the ditches above the plants and the brick/stone contention below. Regarding shady slopes, Mr Ryan mentioned vinca, and I must say they worked fantastically well for me in a deep-shade dry slope where I lived many years ago. I was inspired by a patch of vinca I saw growing in a woody area outside the village where I lived, tried them in my garden and they were a godsend.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - and I'm thinking of vinca too - such a good plant for a difficult place

[@Tinyteacher1111]

Are you talking about the annual spreading vincas that are available in Michigan? Is there another kind? I want a perennial for a slope in the back of my yard. I thought of planting raspberries because I have some now, but I’d like more ideas if anyone has any. I’m starting to put ground cover in now. It’s a lot of work for a very tiny 65 year-old woman! Lol! 💕

[@bluesky7226]

What a wonderfully informative video. I so enjoyed hearing that accent from my fellow Aussie. I have been gardening on two slopes in Colorado for nearly 30 years, and I have learned to do all that he spoke about. Sometimes when I plant in the very heat of summer I will also use the discarded nursery pot, which I fashion into a dam of sorts, to keep the water more readily available for the plants. It is only a temporary measure, but it has worked beautifully. I hope you enjoyed my precious Melbourne! I was hoping to be there on holiday this time of year....

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! the nursery pot sounds like a good idea. And I'm enjoying the Melbourne area!

[@neverlostforwords]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I am sorry our weather is not behaving nicely for your visit. I hope your visit is going well otherwise. Anyway you now know what Melbourne gardeners' problem with gusty winds is like. Steven mentioned the horrible north-westerlies in this video but they can come from any direction. Try to get to Maranoa Gardens in Balwyn if you have some spare time in your schedule.

[@umairshah6358]

Hats off to you for traveling all the way to Melbourne for 30 seconds intro. That’s some dedication!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Ha, ha! I was there for about three weeks, so I filmed the rest of it (that's why you didn't see me as I was behind the camera). Now my husband is 'cameraman' so I can appear in the videos too.

[@32speedygonzales]

Great video!!! He did a great job explaining ... just one thing... it was too short 😄 I could have listened for an other 30 minutes 👍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Stephen is so informative.

[@christinepops5100]

This was great, I learned so much! I do have a bit of a slope in several areas of my garden and it's been a struggle but now I feel confident to tackle it this spring. Also loved his garden, those lilies!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - yes, the lilies are wonderful.

[@h3llnite]

I’ve been using sugar cane mulch on my slope. Love it! Great coverage and allows the rain through

[@BlackStump172]

Thank you ! I have been trying to know what to do and came across this . I can see the cane from my house ! Plenty of trash to be had .

[@anneg8319]

5:09. Lovely. Just lovely.

[@erinphelps6386]

This is fantastic! I am going to be attacking an overgrown ugly slope this Spring and I had no idea where to start. Now I am more confident it won't be so bad to make it look better.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - hope it goes well!

[@flowerfairy1950]

This is what I started with September 2016 photos.app.goo.gl/83XZaq4jPVnmKPh19

[@neverlostforwords]

@@flowerfairy1950 Wow. You have made a wonderful garden (having seen what you have done with it in current videos) from such tricky beginnings! Well done!

[@flowerfairy1950]

@@neverlostforwords Thank you. I doubt three years on (now 69) I could do it again. It was hard going in the height of summer struggling up and down with hose and buckets!

[@GardenObsessions]

Hello Alexandria! Perfect timing! We will be tackling an area in our front yard with a steep slope at our new home this spring. We have picked out plants but I was still a little worried on how they would do. After seeing this video I feel a lot better and will be sharing with my husband. Thank you tons for such a wonderful video as always! 😃💐💚💚💚💚💚

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Happy planting!

[@karenbarrows6127]

May I ask what plants you chose? We have a huge slope in front yard. So far just juniper and scotch broom

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Lovely video topic and very helpful. Also nudges me to just buy the Sneebor planting spade I’ve been eyeing up. Also, you’re in Oz! Enjoy.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! The Sneebor is lovely - the particular spade Stephen was using is a short spade designed by Christopher Lloyd and which I bought from Great Dixter and brought out here as a present for my hosts.

[@pinkpoodle7100]

Such an informative video! Thank you for your wealth of knowledge! Boston, MA🌷

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@sierramike6626]

Thank you very much! The most info I have ever got on the planting on the slope. Beautiful

[@gardensandplants]

Fantastic video. So clear and precise. Thank you.

[@BeautifulOaks]

Thank you. This is so appropriate for my garden slopes and I am going to apply the trench above the plant hole with confidence it will work. I would like see more examples of sunny slope or terrace gardening for retaining soil.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ellisesmith869]

I loved this guy! Great info and lovely modest Aussie man, thanks for your guest speaker middle-size!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@earthflair]

Thank you Alexandria for a great video covering this topic. Great to see one of Gardening Australia's wonderful former hosts. Stephen Ryan was one of my favorites. Are you in Australia at the moment. If so please enjoy. Cheers Cheryl.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Yes, in Australia.

[@Tinyteacher1111]

I got a lot of great information from this video! I really like the idea of using a mulch that is like straw or hay because no one can see the slope in the back of my yard. Maybe pine needles?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I haven't used pine needles as mulch myself, but I understand they make a good mulch and they don't change the pH of the soil because they neutralise as they break down.

[@GentleStorm1]

Wonderful video, specifically the "how-to" demonstrations. While there is some information (but not a ton) about planting on a slope, much of it is limited to which plants to choose (which is helpful, but even more helpful when taught how to plant properly). I have a specific question that I can't find an answer to, but maybe you can help. Last year, I "tiered" a 24'L x 11'H/ 7.3 m x 3.4 m hill that has a ±27-degree slope for some senior friends. It's a very unprofessional tier job because I''m not a landscape professional, just a friend that likes digging in the dirt. :) There is currently a full-length tier/landing about half-way down the hill, and some paver "steps" dug into the slope about 2.75'/0.85m from both the top and the bottom of the hill (i.e. there is a step up/down about every 0.85m). This is not the ideal set-up for an aging couple (73 & 71 y.o.), but I'm working with two strong personalities. ;-) The slope is still very steep, but their ability to get up and down the slope seems to be of less concern than what they will use to cover the weed barrier I installed. The coarse mulch is a good idea for the horizontal landing and most of the sloped, but mulch won't stay put on the vertical "risers" leading up to the paver steps or the landing. Installing a rock "wall"/riser isn't an option because we don't have enough rocks and their budget is very limited, especially now that they've likely lost a chunk of their retirement savings because of COVID-19 market volatility. This morning I was wondering whether moss might be a good option for the riser areas, but tend to think planting some rapid-growth trailing plants would be easier. Do you have any suggestions about how to mask vertical risers in an aesthetically pleasing, budget friendly manner? I could dig out more of the hill to soften the slope, although I just spent yesterday afternoon planting their garden picks (feathergrass, daisies, pink dianthus, Candy Tuft - Snow Cone (Iberis sempervirens)). Last fall, I transplanted some Lamb'sEar (stachys byzantina) (which is doing great) and wooly thyme (not doing so great, surprisingly). They also have some bishop's wort in their backyard (contained between the house and a concrete barrier) they wish to transplant into the garden; however, I'm concerned about it taking over the other plants in the garden. I know that this project is being done backwards. I would have preferred to have a plan in place before digging up the lawn and creating what feels to me like a bit of a mess. However, I'm working with a very strong "perceiver" who likes to go with what feels right when it feels right. I love both of them very much and am doing what I can to make something that makes them both happy. Neither of them know much about gardening and I personally don't want them spending much time on the steep hill, so I'm trying to present low-maintenance, fast-growing suggestions. I think the suggestions might mean more if they come from an expert. That's probably much more info than necessary, but I'm hoping it gives a full scope of the parameters without being able to see it. Thanks in advance!

[@pansepot1490]

Beautiful garden!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It is, isn't it!

[@Off-Alba]

This is a very useful video for me since our garden IS actually a rather steep slope adjacent to a small wood. Not the easiest basis for creating a garden. The video is also very reassuring because Stephen Ryan showed me I was doing the right thing building some borders; using tree trunks stems and rocks to keep the soil in place for individual or small groups of plants.. it looks very natural too and blends in with the sunny rest of the slope which I want to keep as a meadow. These parts however also need a bit of help by only mowing twice a year and introducing more diversity by sowing seeds or putting in plug plants. There your tips for making a wildflower meadow come in very handy. I am happy to have found your channel. Thank you for your great tips and pleasant presentation.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Alexandra thank you so much for these videos. I'm sooo excited I dreamed for year for a piece of property to have for the vision I have in my head..you videos help so much..with limited money I'm starting a bank with periwinkle as well a creek bank. Sorry I just get so excited when I watch and get more ideas. ! I'm so ready for spring her in U.S. ...blessings

[@hungariancottageadventure77]

fantastic video full of expert advice, i will re watch this video several times over, thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@walterritter1630]

Thank-you! This was my first visit to your KZbin program. I am gardening a slope that is decidedly shady on its south side and sunny on its north which makes for a diverse selection of plants. Water conservation is an issue in southern California so I appreciate Stephen's comments on water's inclinations! Another of my challenges is to make my slope as pleasing to the eye from its bottom as from its top. It's an engaging project that benefits from good advice like yours. I look forward to future editions of "The Middle-Sized Garden!"

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Stephen has also started his own KZbin channel, too, in case you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/envXc2iffseJkMU

[@walterritter1630]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank-you for the news of Stephen's new KZbin program. I just subscribed. Of course, I am looking forward to the next Middle-Sized Garden video, too.

[@emilydryden5023]

I really enjoyed this. I have 2 acres, most of which is sloping. Sometimes I call it Swiss gardening because it is all walking up and down the hill. It certainly can be challenging, not least of all on the legs. Nice to see someone else with the same challenge and doing so well (much better than I) at it.

[@svetlanikolova7673]

Tell me about it. i am fixing my sloped garden with wood, followed by compost and a lot of mulch to hold moisture in the soil. After the growing season is over, i chop the plants to the ground, cover it with compost and mulch and walk away. I use hey as my mulch .

[@christal2641]

If you are starting to garden slopes, start with strips running about 90° to your slope. FACE UPHILL. YOU CANT FALL AS FAR! Don't use landscape fabric. We used garden timbers and built in raised beds so I could pick strawberries standing up! Our heavy clay 23°sloping front yard couldn't be safely mowed by my 65 year old spouse, so we planted 3 dwarf cherry trees, 4 aronia bushes, 3 blueberries, 7 gooseberry bushes, 3 currants, lilies and asstd. wildflowers. in 4 strips with mulched paths in between. A local arborist delivers mulch to the driveway. Some of our wildflowers are setting up colonies in our paths, but recede with foot traffic. 13 years later I am curtailing some vigorous natives (especially goldenrods, ostrich ferns). BUT, we haven't been losing soil even after heavy rains.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Sounds beautiful!

[@HellCatt0770]

I’d love to see your garden! You sound like you’re facing similar challenges to me!

[@avagrego3195]

As I get older pachysandra & hosta are my favorites for certain areas.

[@JWHealing]

Yay for sloping garden tips

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you like them!

[@emmalavenham]

Thank you for creating this video! This is so helpful. Love to hear what plants you think would work best for colder climates. It sounds to me that some native plants would work well here, like "Sweet Fern" and "Turtlehead" Black Ace, to keep the soil in place - and at the same time look great from a design perspective.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Plants like euphorbia have lots of good cool climate varieties. The climate where the video was shot does have snow and frost in winter, but it has hotter summers that we do in Britain. So we can use alot of the same plants. Creeping juniper and vinca (creeping myrtle) would be good, as would lamium (dead nettle, comes in several varieties), many ferns, and some of the grasses such as blue fescue and black ophiopogon. My friends' herbaceous border has many of these but she's also planted classic herbaceous plants in between because you don't necessarily need all your plants to be clump-forming or mat-forming.

[@emmalavenham]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Brilliant! It is like planting foundation plants that really are the foundation. This way you can tuck in whatever perennials you like! I really had no idea how to tackle planting on a slope. This is so helpful!

[@emmalavenham]

BTW I absolutely agree - Euphorbia is a must try. But which one? There are so many amazing choices! Here, in the US, Bonfire is a popular choice due to its cold tolerance (H6). But, I am concerned about it getting 'leggy'....

[@annashiegl]

Very useful and enjoyable thank you

[@neverlostforwords]

Great advice given here. We have a gentle slope in the front yard and have had a lot of watering to do in summers as we didn't make swales or retaining structures. Our saving grace has been the use of bush mulch, applied once or twice a year. But ignoring the slope issue is always a mistake and unfortunately soil slid about in heavy spring rains to create a muddy area around a mature choisya ternata which has recently yellowed and appears to have succumbed to root rot. I doubt we can save it. I will look into incorporating some of the ideas here on our slope. Thanks to you and Stephen. Enjoy Melbourne. Just overlook the weather!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - and I don't feel hopeful about your choisya either...but nice to hear from you. The weather has been extraordinary - 45 degrees on our first few days then down to 8C here but we are about an hour out of Melbourne and up a mountain so that may be why there are such extremes. At least we're not being blown to bits in England, where Storm Ciara is wrecking everything.

[@neverlostforwords]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden You're in a lovely spot - Mount Macedon - but it's definitely cooler there due to the elevation.

[@ennasus5964]

Thank you for theses tipps! They help me a lot! Do you think you could write down the names of the plants mentioned in the box below? It is rather difficult to understand the names when English is not your first language. Especially latin names sound very different and are spoken abbreviated and very fast. So I would appreciate them in written form very much.

[@cyndireed2505]

Enna Sus I would like this also! I couldn’t understand the plant name and English is my first language!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

So sorry, I intended to do a plant list, and I will try to drop one in. For dry shade, Stephen recommended vinca (there are several varieties) and danae, for damp slopes, persicarias are good, although they are also on my friend's sloping herbaceous border which isn't particularly damp, and also euphorbias spread well, as do ferns and many ornamental grasses such as the blue fescue seen here.

[@32speedygonzales]

The Middle-Sized Garden thank you Andrea. I was just about to ask the same question

[@cyndireed2505]

The Middle-Sized Garden Thank you. There was another plant from the Mediterranean for dry slopes I couldn’t understand. I would also love to see some design ideas for slopes. I have about 120 feet of upward slopes in dry shade that you look at from my house and from the garden. Some of it looks great, some not so much! Thanks for your videos! My middle-sized garden is 2/3 acre and keeps us busy!

[@MeadowlarkMystic]

@@cyndireed2505 I believe he said Ruscus aculeatus for dry slopes from the Mediterranean.

[@kiwifish9235]

WOW!!! Thank You!

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Very helpful. Hillsides require care to prevent erosion. It's discouraging to watch your best soil wash into the street. Iris beds helped me. Pick an iris with attractive foliage and consider it a flowering hedge.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting, thank you!

[@sschario60]

Envying your lack of clay soil. Thanks for the brilliant video.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thanks for watching!

[@iartistdotme]

Really great information!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you

[@wendajones9040]

Please send this man home to me and my slope!

[@crowquilltarot]

More help with sunny slopes, please...NW lower Michigan, Zone 6B. Great info, thanks!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think the main issue is to make sure all the plants really do enjoy full sun, because the slope means they'll get maximum rays. In terms of the actual planting, the trench method Stephen suggests would be the same on both sunny and shady slopes, but you'd need to avoid shade loving plants on a sunny slope even more than in a main bed. Or you could plant a tree or trees to create some shade. As in the video, create a shelf or small flattened area for your planting hole so that the tree trunk is evenly surrounded by soil. I hope that helps.

[@alisonburgess345]

Are you just visiting now Alexandra..? I’ve got a heck of a slope to deal with - not large, but really exposed. In fact just near Stephen Ryan (in Trentham). Thanks for this video - very useful.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you. Yes, just visiting now, on our last few days - I hear you had/have fires at Trentham? Hope it didn't affect you.

[@stuartanderson7671]

Give me great information, and inspiration for my own large bank.🇨🇦

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank youo!

[@edshellard]

Great video. Thanks guys

[@ICoulntThinkofAUserNam547]

damn finally! I could only find stuff saying "build a giant terraced retaining wall" (for like 200 ft, 10 ft high)

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rockskipper5353]

i stopped mowing my yard. so now when i want to plant something . i just dig a hole where and when i need it .. if im not using a space in my yard something else can ... the tall grass seams to help hold water in and when i need some kind of mulch, i can just chop and drop the grass

[@fortheearth]

Very helpful video! Thank you for sharingthis@

[@hilltopbrenda]

Ooh good video!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm glad you like it

[@mamabear9509]

Great video thank you for sharing. This is exactly what I have in my backyard. i'm trying to gain privacy from my neighbor who is able to walk right up (on his side) and look down into my yard.I have planted a hedge of ligustrum however, they're not growing FAST ENOUGH for me! The site is roughly 80ft long and 15ft wide. I live in zone 9 California. Any suggestion on other plants? I have 3 dusty miller that are gorgeous and drift roses with weeds popping thru. Cottage garden theme desired. Thanks you in advance for any recommendations.

[@lisadiane10001]

Oleander and any Mediterranean herbs.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That does sound uncomfortable. Ligustrum is about as fast-growing as a hedge gets, but you could consider planting one or two small trees at intervals (not necessarily along a boundary) to interrupt his sight line. Cornus are very attractive small trees and also fruit trees add spring blossom, autumn fruits and often autumn colour, although they are bare in winter. I'm going to be doing a video about garden privacy fairly soon, and maybe this one about placing trees for privacy might help? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKDNnoB-nbedrrs

[@mamabear9509]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Yes this link was VERY helpful, thank you so much. I would be interested to see more on this topic. Thanks again!

[@gregoryeastwood9068]

Very practical...thank you......A Yank........take care.

[@GardenMinistry.]

Hello, new Gardener here 😃 Can you please give us some solutions to flooding in the garden when it rains please?

[@neverlostforwords]

If you have just one or two specIal plants to save, I have a tip. In heavy rain I lay out a large plastic tarp underneath two orange trees, thereby directing the rainwater to a nearby gully as the water runs off the tarp. We had a lot of rain in late spring and early summer and the tree roots remained protected and my oranges were saved. I weighed the tarp down (to stop the wind dislodging it) at the edges and corners with terracotta saucers.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

The best thing is to make sure that water can drain away, so if you're prone to flooding, make sure that you don't use concrete cement between pavers, and don't cover large areas with concrete or stone. The idea is that water can drain into the soil more easily, but if you have lots of concrete or stone, the flooding will be concentrated in a smaller part of the garden. If you have frequent rain, then a 'rain garden' or a dip dug like a pond, that can collect water, might be a thought. More about it here, though I don't personally know anyone who has done this, as we live in rather a dry part of Britain.www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=1009

[@francoisgs1]

Thank you very much , you gave me hope :)) but will you be able to give a more details with name of plants for a sunny slope and minimise weeds thanks a lot. I am in Italy where the summer is generally dry and have bamboo from neighbors coming back , I am planning. to remove all the roots and place. a roots barrier at the border and cover the slope with plants like rosemary, lavender, that can expand and hold the ground but am looking at other plants that can provide coverage to avoid weeds, flowers for colours and the bees and can remain over the winter where it could snow and be cold for a few months between -5 to 10 . Any suggestions of plants that could fit the profile be greatly appreciated. MOst sincerely Francois

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Here is more about planting on a slope - the good news is that if it's a sunny slope you can plant flowers that like the sun, you don't have to worry too much about specific 'slope' plants. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaC7nXp6Ytl_jqc

[@HellCatt0770]

Slopes are a big thing in my garden. Weeding is difficult! Perhaps because I’m in Cornwall ‘greening the slope’ is not the problem!

[@esmaymorgan3319]

Hi, Thank you so much for an informative slope gardening video! I am a new gardener here. I have a very steep slope full of weeds right on a major city street. I am planning to prep my hill for planting. I read that I can do this with layering my hill 6-8 inches thick of mulch. I was told I need to continuously mulch for 3 years before I can even get a solid and healthy foundation of soil. So my questions is... 1. Can I start this process in the summer? 2. How do I layer the mulch on my hill without it running down to the streets? 3. I was planning to put the mulch on the hill immediately after I mow the lawn super low. Is this enough or do I need to uproot the large pieces of weeds first or use chemicals to kill the weeds before laying down the mulch? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@Ibis333]

I'm not a pro but I read a suggestion in a gardening book recently, which was to half-bury a 1X8 or 2X6 board of untreated lumber (e.g. pine) on edge every few feet down the slope. That will keep the soil and mulch from flowing downhill and give time for your plants to root. Then the board will decompose on its own over time. In effect, this is like creating temporary terraces. I'm going to try this technique myself next spring.

[@sjcsystems]

A great video, if you have time, please could you do a video about Australian plants that will grow in the UK climate? I had mixed results with Kangaroo Paw last summer, but I'm really keen on Snow in Summer (Melaleuca). It would be great if you could film at Cranbourne (City of Casey) to showcase them.

[@neverlostforwords]

Simon, I'm in Melbourne. Maranoa Gardens in Balwyn (a suburb of Melbourne and viewable on youtube if you search) also focuses on Australian native plants and certainly has melaleucas. I also have a video at Maranoa showing several plants, on my channel. I heard Alan Gray of Norfolk UK in the most recent episode of the BBC radio program The Garden Party mention that he has recently begun successfully growing the Aussie native climber Hardenbergia Violacea (also known here as The Happy Wanderer) at his garden centre in Norfolk. It is the Australian native version of wisteria, to give you some idea, but is much easier to grow. Usually hardenbergia is lilac, mauve or purple however it is also available in white. It is a very hardy plant, very pretty and has overwintered easily in our cold winters, in the garden, so should be fine in the UK. I highly recommend it. It is easily trained to cover a fence, shed or bank. There are many other Aussie plants that are stunning and hardy. Grevilleas, banksias and corymbias are worth a good look.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Excellent idea - by the way, what's at Cranbrook? I've seen @neverlostforwords reply below and I often go to Norfolk so I will look out for Alan Gray and the nursery she suggests

[@sjcsystems]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden My apologies, and I'm blaming corrective text, I meant Cranbourne, in the City of Casey. Something I think Australians may be more wary of now is having a lot of combustible mulch on their gardens

[@neverlostforwords]

Hi Alexandria, the name of Alan's garden centre is East Ruston Old Vicarage. I think it is a private garden that is open five afternoons a week, according to their website.

[@neverlostforwords]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden As Simon mentions here, he meant Cranbourne, where there is a branch of the Royal Botanic Gardens, featuring Australian native plants.

[@volt3634]

What your recommendation to plant erotion control for southern California USA Thanks

[@mariathiele5256]

Thank you, a very good video for slope planting.

[@martinhowarth7310]

Very new to gardening and this was just what i was looking for! I do have a quick question, our hill is very steep and sees a lot of sun but it's also currently grassy/weedy. Weeds need to go but should i also strip away the grass before planting?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

If you don't want grass there, then you can either dig it up or cover it over with something like horticultural weed suppressant fabric. You can plant shrubs into grass, but there will be some competition - it's whether you prefer to have no grass around your plants or whether you want to see the grass there.

[@martinhowarth7310]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden great, thank you kindly. I think the grass will have to go as well. I suppose being a newbie, I don't like the idea of competition :) want to give those perennials a fighting chance. I have heard mixed opinions on the use of fabric to suppress weeds... some say it inhibits growth a little too much

[@BeautifulOaks]

I would love to know the list of plants he used among the blue bearded irises, lupine and that touch of yellow on tall stalks. Would you please share the list if possible. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I will try to find out but I'm not sure we have that. We were concentrating on the method of planting rather than what was being planted, but it's a friend's garden so I may be able to find out.

[@lilasweeney555]

I am planting a terraced garden per your video. Can you tell me where I can buy azorella trifurcata nana or how to propagate the plants?

[@suzannerking]

Can you please list the plants he mentioned for a shady slope, I could not understand him and would love to know the spelling. Thx, great video.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Here is another video about gardening on a slope, where she explains how to plant the plants you like rather than specific plants that do well on slopes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaC7nXp6Ytl_jqc If you get the early planting and care right, then you really can plant anything.

[@seanbrown8920]

I wish I understood the shade tree and dry ground relationship 😕 years ago. So many dead plants and shrubs.

[@cory_aqua]

👌 thanks

[@fantonio234]

“Yuuchube” love it

[@durgalamichhane7943]

ありがとうございます。

[@cindiew7280]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent information!! Loved it ❤️

[@stuarteldergill]

Hi, I have just discovered your channel and subscribed. I am thinking about starting a You Tube channel focusing on ornamental gardening, plant advice, techniques etc without stepping on anybody`s toes. Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated. I have worked in horticulture for about thirty seven years.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I have found the KZbin creator academy really useful - hunt through it to find the beginner's videos It's here: kzbin.info Many of the videos are very short and clear, so it's easy to view a few when you're having a cup of coffee or relaxing at the end of the day, and over time you can pick up alot of information. There are also quite a few good 'creator' channels, such as Tim Schmoyer (kzbin.info) and Think Media kzbin.info I find it really helps to use these resources, because there's quite a lot of work involved, but it is very interesting, so worth it, I think. I hope that helps and good luck.

[@Metqa]

so , if you've got nothing but weeds on that slope and the slope is so steep that running a lawnmower across it causes the machine to tip over, then how do you get rid of the weeds so you have a place to plant desireable plants? Do you have to dump truckloads of mulch to kill the weeds first and then plant in it? What's gonna keep everything from sliding down the slope? It's a front yard in a suburban area so I'm not sure how anyone would care about a whole yard full of mulch, but also, my neighbors yard are also full of dandelion, plantain and clover. I don't mind the clover so much but the dandelion and plantain grow as tall as people and is hard to mow without industrial equipment. They bungle up my week whacker, and if it rains too many days in a row, they grow so fast my little push mower only knocks them down without being able to cut them. It's such a disaster, I want to just spray roundup on everything and start from scratch, but even if I did that the weed seeds would just blow right in again and start it all over. at one point I did have a truck of mulch delivered to fill a hole, but the weeds just grew into it and recreated the hole. I"m desparate, because I want the yard to look nice, but I can't even put a potted plant on the ground without it looking like it's performing a Hitler salute towards my house!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think it might be worth doing the planting swales in the video and seeing how that works, also do you have some good native shrubs? Once they've grown to full size they should cover the ground so the weeds get less chance. A rockery is another option for a slope but it does mean acquiring some rocks

[@LittleMissKatrinaa]

How long does soil preparation with manure take? Is this something that would need to be done long term before beguining planting?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think you could do it any time. Quite often people add the manure just after they've planted, or you could do it before.

[@LittleMissKatrinaa]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thankyou very much

[@SKhan-iz5si]

does the ditch/swale need to be on precise contour lines, or just gauged by eye/feel?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Eye/feel should be fine.

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

Good information 👍 New friend Ruthie

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@flowerfairy1950]

Speaking from experience a small grappling iron wouldn't go astray! lol!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Sounds as if it would be a very good idea!

[@zsivanykiraly]

Hi. Can somebody write me the suggested plants? I need a list in written.

[@lulub1953]

More than a slope , I have a vertical wall of earth and stones! 😳 don’t know what to do to anchor it

[@joprent6727]

👍😊

[@joansmith3492]

I think he needed to add a way to access the garden like installing paver steps or someting because it will still need to be weeded or pruned or something.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

The whole garden is sloping in this case, so although there are steps in many places, it's not possible to have every inch accessible by steps. But he was managing just standing on the slopes when planting, and I think he'd do the same when weeding and pruning.

[@angelaberni8873]

I must have the worst possible scenario of a slope. It's so steep it's impossible to stand on it. It's all hard compressed rocky red soil( more like cement than soil) and we get 35 degrees boiling hot sun in the summer. Sometimes even 40 degrees. It's also impossible to water. Suggestions anyone?🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😎💃💃

[@Big-Government-Is-The-Problem]

ive got really rocky ground sloped even more than in this video and the more stuff i watch about growing in sloped rocky ground the more im convinced its not worth trying to create a sloped fruit/veg garden/orchard. that on top of the $30,000 or so it would cost to clear the land of trees and stumps =(

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think that if you have a rocky slope then the only real option is a rock garden with alpine plants that are used to growing in those conditions. I agree that it probably wouldn't be worth trying to grow fruit and veg although you might find one or two edibles that grow in poor, rocky soil.

[@loosecabooseus]

TITLES when naming plants!!

[@momsterzz]

What is he saying “swayles”? @4:00

[@momsterzz]

It would be nice to have photos of the plants he’s talking about interjected into the video. Or at least spell it out on the screen so we can have a clue on the plants he’s talking about

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

A swale is a trench. I usually try to make sure the captioning (CC) is correct, not just automated, but I've just checked and it isn't so thank you for letting me know and I'll try and re-edit the captions over the next few days.

[@cheesekake1841]

I would stay away from vincas and any troublesome invasive plants

[@RichardsMovies]

Those are not slopes, if you can put an object down and it doesn’t tumble away it’s not steep enough to qualify.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm afraid I don't entirely agree with that, even quite a shallow slope can be a real nuisance to plant on.

[@monicamovie1788]

Smoke that damn tree

[@monicamovie1788]

All your plants is flower poison I don't see a need edible vegetable tomato... Where are those tomatoes? And corn? All i see is poison flower you ate those too?

[@moonglow4395]

…please…please stop talking with your hands…you’re making me dizzy!!!

[@sextustullius]

Another action packed and meaty film. Thanks so much, Alexandra and team! 🥰

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!