Top ten plants for banks and slopes

The bold, bright yellow blooms are like rays of sunshine, growing on upright stems. The flowers look similar to dandelions and like dandelions, bees are attracted to the yellow ox eye too. Keep the plants looking their best by removing any dead, damaged, or diseased foliage and flowers in autumn or spring.

Next is an evergreen shrub that grows to 1.5m tall and 1m spread with heart-shaped leaves. In summer, the foliage is joined by light pink bell-shaped flowers. However, this plant thrives in acidic or neutral soil, so will grow best on your bank or slope if you have this soil type.

Another evergreen with all-year round interest for a bank or slope is Mahonia repens which has glorious glossy foliage. In spring, fragranced flowers bloom which are popular with bees, and birds will then enjoy the black berries that follow in summer and autumn. Therefore, they are a great addition to a bank in a wildlife garden.

Vinca minor is a mat-forming evergreen that is low growing, so perfectly suited for ground cover in a sloping area. The foliage is glossy and dark green, beautifully contrasting with the pretty purple-blue flowers that bloom in spring. It’s a low-maintenance pick that will also suit a Mediterranean style garden too.

Sometimes a bank or slope is so steep that it’s impossible to garden it easily or safely.  In that situation choosing a plant that will quickly cover the ground is the ideal solution and ‘Grouse’ is the ideal choice as it’s low growing, very vigorous and has a sprawling habit.  Added advantages are its shiny evergreen leaves and pretty, scented pink flowers during the summer months followed by small orange hips during the autumn and winter months.

• Flowers in spring
• Hardy
• Grows up to 50cm tall
• Moist but well-drained or poorly drained soil
• Full sun or partial shade
• Sheltered

Next is a spreading ground cover shrub with dark green, evergreen leaves. Through summer and autumn, cheery yellow flowers bloom and will thrive in many different conditions. What’s more, they are require virtually no maintenance. The berries that grow in autumn give an extra dimension and more interest.

For a compact evergreen shrub with attractive foliage and flowers ‘Debutante’ is a fantastic choice. The panicles of cream flowers bloom in spring, contrasting with the dark green leaves. Also great for pollinating insects, they are a great source of nectar and pollen to add to your bank or slope. However, they need acidic soil to grow.

This plant delivers with stunning clusters of purple flowers in summer, fantastic fragrance, as well as being a drought resistant addition to banks or slopes. The mat-forming evergreen is a low-growing plant that is well suited to a rock or gravel garden. Whilst you make the most of the fragrance, bees are also attracted to the flowers.

The foliage of this shrub puts on a show before it falls in autumn, going from green to fiery shades or red. Flowering from August to October, the stunning blue flowers are sure to catch-your eye. If you have a sloping border, these will fit right in.

This dwarf evergreen shrub has a spreading habit, with vibrant variegated foliage that will thrive in many conditions. As well as being grown as ground cover plants on banks and slopes, it can be trained against a wall.