Sign up to our mailing list for the best stories delivered to your inbox.
The Outback Gardener answers a reader's question about what to plant on a sloping surface.
WORDS CASSANDRA HOOKE PHOTOGRAPHY EMMA CROSS
We are starting a new build, and we have a battered slope by the house. What sorts of plants do well on a slope to create ground cover and limit erosion? We have good cropping soil.
Casey Dumbrell, Harden, NSW
Native grasses, rushes and sedges have fine, fibrous matting root systems that are beneficial in preventing erosion by wind and water. Plants that are great at stabilising soil and would be suitable for your setting include Austrostipa, Lomandra, Dianella, Ficinia and Poa species. Ground covers such as Carpobrotus spp. (pigface), Myoporum parvifolium (boobialla), Hardenbergia spp. and prostrate grevilleas also help to keep topsoil and mulch from being washed or blown away.
As the soil becomes more stable over time, you will be able to plant more diversely and use feature plants to add interest. You could also plant some deep-rooted shrubs and trees depending on the look that you are after. Grasses look beautiful when planted with flowering perennials like Salvia, Agastache, Gaura, Rudbeckia and Verbena species. Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) is a stunning native grass that would particularly look well planted with the above.
Got a question for Cassandra? Send it to hello@graziher.com.au with “Gardening Q&A” in the subject line.
Subscribe to Graziher and never miss an issue of your favourite magazine! Already a subscriber? You can gift a subscription to someone special in your life.
To hear more extraordinary stories about women living in rural and regional Australia, listen to our podcast Life on the Land on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
Cassandra talks to Graziher’s Life on the Land podcast about her love of gardening.
Branding has become an essential part of the Sparks family’s South Australian operations, helping them break down the barriers between those who farm and those who consume.
Kate made 100 pairs of earrings for a market, thinking she wouldn’t be able to sell them all. Soon, she couldn’t keep up with the demand.
Ingrid’s approach to garden design is similar to her take on interiors — she likes to create a series of outdoor ‘rooms’ that invite you to pause and enjoy the space.
Florals, crushed linen and four very different takes on country style, from the pages of Graziher.
Jane Smith (aka The Shady Baker) shares a traditional family recipe that’s perfect for gifts and gatherings.
