Finding a groundcover for a sunny slope

I'm in VA (zone 7) and have a sunny south-facing slope near the street. I'd like to find a nice groundcover for it, as it's too steep to mow. The main problem is that it is an acidic solid clay soil, whereas most groundcovers want "a well-drained soil" which usually means something other than clay. Would the steep slope provide adequate drainage? It always seems dry.

My choices are limited to something that will withstand the summer heat in that poor soil. On similar slopes I have successfully grown blue rug juniper and vinca, neither of which my wife likes. I'm pretty sure cotoneaster would work too, but *I* hate that stuff.

I've been looking at several varieties of sedum, and also the 2006 Perennial plant of the year, Dianthus Firewitch

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I have grown a different clumpier type of dianthus around my mailbox and it tolerates these conditions fairly well, suffering a bit in a dry, hot summer but otherwise surviving.

Please let me know if these would spread enough to fill in (preferably dense enough to crowd out weeds). If there are other groundcovers that would work, let me know.

Thanks!

Reply to
mrt
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Perhaps Ornamental Strawberry would work. . .I have it in various parts of my yard, and it seems to do well - almost too well! It's prolific. It's pretty, grows in full hot sun, or frosty climate. It has a pretty little yellow flower, which turns into bright red little berries!

Looks good year round.

Myrl Jeffcoat

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snipped-for-privacy@thomasz> I'm in VA (zone 7) and have a sunny south-facing slope near the street.

Reply to
Myrl Jeffcoat

ftp://members.aol.com/thebergenfieldgc/Newsletters/May06_Newsletter.pdf

Start on page 3 HTH

Reply to
told2b

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