We bought a new house built on a previously wooded lot. WNC. Zone 7a.
Looking for ideas, native plants, erosion preventatives, help with drainage etc! We’re on a budget and it will be a DIY project over time so any advice on what to prioritize would be helpful! Bonus points for any groundhog deterrents.
There is a wooded hill behind the house and a creek in front. Tape is where we’d like to put a fence.
Thank you!
by Resident-Hedgehog442
2 Comments
Itea Virginia, clethera, gro-low sumac, southern shield fern, oakleaf hydrangea
That bare WNC clay is an emergency situation. In Zone 7a on a slope like that, gravity and rain are going to wash your investment into that creek before roots can take hold. You need mechanical stabilization immediately. Don’t just throw mulch down; it will slide off in the first heavy storm. Buy jute netting or biodegradable erosion control blankets, stake them into the slope, and plant directly through holes you cut in the fabric. This holds the hill together while the plants establish.
For the wet areas and swales (where the tractor tracks are), you need aggressive root systems. Look at River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)—it’s a native WNC workhorse that loves creek banks and stabilizes soil fast. For that dry, steep bank behind the house, go with Gro-Low Sumac or Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica). They sucker and spread, creating a root mat that locks the hill in place. Before you start digging, throw a photo of that slope into GardenDream. It’ll help you visualize exactly how many shrubs you need to create a solid mass versus a patchy mess, saving you from buying too many or too few plants for that specific grade.
Regarding the groundhogs: they are diggers. If you are putting up a fence, the only thing that actually works is trenching. Dig a 12-inch trench along the fence line and bury 1/4 inch hardware cloth (wire mesh) in an L-shape pointing outward. It’s a pain to install, but it’s the only physical barrier that stops them from tunneling under.