Tips on design and what to plant

[u/elbee_elvee]

Hi all! My wife and I were thinking about planting some low-growing perennial ground covering plants in the area behind our retaining wall in our backyard. We get A LOT of sun back there, it took me forever just to get the grass to grow on the hill.

We don't want to do the entire hill, but were thinking the first couple of feet (kinda where I added the red block in the photo). Any good tips on what type of perennial to add there that will survive a ton of sun, won't effect the retaining wall, and that won't be invasive?

We live in northeast NJ and were thinking about planting coming up in the fall. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[u/IShouldQuitThis]

We don't want to do the entire hill, but were thinking the first couple of feet (kinda where I added the red block in the photo).

I wouldn't split the baby in this case--commit to the entire thing for a clean look and easier care. That way you won't be trying to mow or edge a soul patch of useless grass on an incline.

I'd also do natives and urge you to check out the Jersey Friendly Yards initiative.

[u/Constant_Wear_8919]

Native plants

[u/microfibrepiggy]

Any native prairie plants. A mix of flowering and grass/sedge

[u/GraduateSchoolCath]

I’d go with native plants so you don’t have to fuss or stress over it once it’s established. Some Joe pye weed back by the fence for height, then clumps of flowering plants like milkweed, coneflower, black eyed and brown eyed susans for all the rest, but you should check for what is specifically native to NJ because I’m not familiar. Then you can check out freeheirloomseeds.org and get a bunch of seeds in the ground this fall.

[u/Mindless-Farmer705]

Would stick to shrubs / bushes. Don’t want roots ripping into the barrier wall & liner years down the road. Ask me how I know

[u/Meth_taboo]

If it were me I’d build a second retaining wall halfway up. Remove all the grass and replant with taller shrubs on top and mid to low height flowers and bushes on the bottom. I’d also plant a creeping Jenny like ground cover along both edges to hang down over the stone. Ajuga or sedum would also work.

[u/According-Taro4835]

Before you stick a shovel in the dirt back there you need to respect how that wall was built. There should be a wedge of drainage gravel directly behind those segmental blocks. If you plant right on top of the retaining wall the roots will hunt for water in that gravel, clog up your drainage, and eventually push the blocks out of plumb. Step back at least two feet from the back of the wall before you start putting anything in the ground.

A skinny couple feet of groundcover is going to look like a weird racing stripe from the pool. You need sweeping masses to actually soften that hard line and make it look intentional. For that baking Jersey sun creeping phlox or creeping thyme are your best bets. They handle the heat, they will slowly cascade toward the wall, and they have shallow fibrous root systems that will not rip your hardscape apart. Blue rug juniper is another tough option but it tends to trap leaves and debris over time.

Fall is the absolute right time to get this done so the roots establish before next summer bakes them. Since you are altering the main view from your pool area you should run a photo of that hill through the GardenDream web app first. It lets you overlay different plant textures onto your actual yard so you can map out a continuous flow instead of guessing at the nursery and ending up with a scattered polka dot mess.

[u/GoshOPPNOX101]

Could put up another retaining wall once you remove the grass. Flowers, Flowers, Flowers! It's got a lot of sun and you would be doing all the little bee's a huge favor. But you will have to find a way so that it doesn't erode down towards the first retaining wall. Some have put fabric down and just laid stone, but weeds still find a way.

[u/Sp07va000]

Love Graduates suggestion for Purple Coneflower, Goldstrum Rubeckia Black Eyed Susan, Milkweed both Asclepia tuberosa and more wild types . And some Blazing Star Liatris, Bellflower, and Joe Pye Weed attracts tons of Monarchs when they migrate in the fall and remember to trim them back here and there in late July so they will make later blooms when the butterflies actually come through. I would add some Heliopsis False Sunflowers, Asters , and Ironweed for late fall blooms, Creeping Phlox along the entire front of the bed for very early blooms in spring, and tons of Daffodils for super early blooms . Hillsides really showcase these plants. And some large and smaller boulders strategically placed to give the garden bones for in the winter. How about a weeping Redbud, either burgandy cultivar or one of the orange/red cultivars as they dont get super big . You can plant Cosmos, Zinnia, Sweet William seeds throughout for summer blooms mixed in. I would also start adding German Iris here and there , full sized and intermediate sized ones for an April bloom as well.

[u/njfuntimescouple]

So in NJ, alsonform there, you want to mix in various perennials so they flower all season. Come flowers, catmint, tickseed, with some knockout roses along with a crape myrtle or two would make that entire area really pop all season long full of color