SLOPE AREA SOMETIMES USED TO DRIVE ON?

by amy
(NH)

Hello we have a slope down the side of yard which goes to the road and has poor soil (sandy hard packed with lots of small & larger rocks imbedded. My husband hates having to mow it but needs to keep it available to drive on once/twice a year for our wood delivery- can't go the other way due to our septic system. It's an eyesore for our curb appeal so I'm trying to figure out something better than grass??

Doug says - gravel or grass for the most part. If you wanted to let it run wild - you could put in crown vetch but that's a serious weed and will soon invade all other parts of your garden. It is used for rough ground cover on highways where there are no problems with weeds appearing. This one self-sows and the birds also take it - so yes, it is (or soon will be) a noxious weed. Even through some folks will recommend it - I don't.

All other ornamental ground covers won't handle the weight and traffic of a truck (even twice a year) and they will require weeding to remove invading grass.

You're left with some form of hardscape - gravel - and bush hogging the area once or twice a year just before the truck arrives to smooth it out for it.

Sorry not to be helpful on this one - but imho there are just some situations where landscaping isn't really going to solve the problem.

Trucking, slopes and low-maintenance all rolled into one might indeed be one of these times.

Now - having said that - perhaps some of my readers may have alternate ideas and I'm sure they'll add them here. :-)