Sloped corner needs makeover...

I can't believe I've never seen this forum! Thank you, ecrane3, for suggesting this on the landscaping.com forum.

I need to incorporate rocks in a sloped bed to help manage runoff and anchor plants. Can I sit rocks (1.5-2.5' size) on top the ground and build the bed around them? Due to buried cables, digging is limited. The area is a very exposed, dry slope that has proven challenging to establish any turf/groundcover because of water/storm runoff and intense summer sun. Even bermuda grass struggles! Seems if I could strategically place rocks, it could work; but I have limited experience using rock in this manner. I'm hoping some DGers can give guidance.

Here is a pic of the space. I'm currently getting quotes to have the sweet gum removed...first one came in over $1K - GULP!!!

Since grass won't hold, you could put several clumps of ornamental grass with a few crape myrtle trees in between. There are various sizes of ornamental grass all the way from small (dwarf Hamlin) to large (pampas grass). The advantage of ornamental grass is the extensive root system it develops.

This year I planted ornamental grasses for the very first time. Blue fescue, purple fountain, and a muhly grass. I've shied away from them in the past, concerned they'd get out of hand or come up all over the place. But so far, they've behaved very well.

If we cannot afford to have the tree removed, I will certainly look at using ornamental grasses and groundcovers that will (hopefully) hide both the fallen gumballs and the utility stuff.

I do love the bark of the crepe myrtles. I'll have to read up on their root systems. Underground cables and lines run parallel to the street and along the back of our property line, all converging around that utility box (you can see a little sliver of it in the bottom left corner of the pic).

Thanks so much, Naturelover!

Hi Plantmover, welcome to the site, Ecrane gave you good advice about it.
Instead of placing stones any old place and making beds around it, would you be able to use larger stoned to make like terraces and infill with good quality soil that you could always enhance with animal manures or other organic matter to help hols onto moisture and feed your plants in the really hot summer sun, then you can use a wider variety of plants within the terraces, even things that could tumble over the stones, and you can use spring bulbs, then some shrubs for later spring / summer colours and even evergreen small shrubs for winter and year round colour, remember there are all different shades of green / yellow and grey foliage too that can look really attractive, this way would save you having to dig down anywhere close to cables etc, BUT, no matter which way you go using stones, you will have to dig slightly to bed the stones in or they too will get washed down with the heavy run off. good luck. hope this gives you some other ideas to play with.
WeeNel.

Ohhh, I really like how terracing allows for more plant options. :)

Bedding the stones might be easier than I first thought; today I noticed several places that are already "dug" out a bit from the most recent utility work. I may be able to use those indentations to my favor.

Excellent suggestions, WeeNel - thank you, thank you!

Plantmover, just to mention that if you are going to bed in stones, make sure you slope them so they bed in at an angle with the outer edge slightly going upward rather than flat in the soil, this will help prevent the stones drifting down the way should any soil be moved with run off you mentioned, it will give them a better footing, try to bury half the stone if possible and you can pack smaller stones under to give support, these small stones will be hidden from view with the soil/plants etc. good luck. hope it all works out for you, let us know how you get on. WeeNel.

Good to know - thank you, WeeNel. It'll be a while till I get all the rocks gathered. I haul it from PA, where I get it free from family. I'm feeling more confident about incorporating the rocks. I appreciate all the helpful feedback.