United Kingdom 
I am looking for small low maintenance shrubs to grow on a tall bank (10' by 20') which faces south east but is partially shaded by the house so that by the afternoon it is in light shade. I live in the SW of Ireland so there is a lot of rain. The soil is poor but well drained. Originally it had a lot of monbretia on the top which I am trying to eradicate (year by year !) which needed perpetual thinning out to get any flowers. At 79 I have decided enough is enough when it comes to climbing up the bank more than once a year !
8 Mar, 2012
Answers
Alpines tend to prefer dry, lean soils in sunny conditions and are in no way shrubs. Azaleas or rhododendrons could work provided the soil is acidic. You could also think of other members the Ericaceous family if you have acid soil.
8 Mar, 2012
Thanks Marion 1 and Moon growe - yes the soil is fairly acid and we have a number of Rhodos and Azaleas in the garden and although I have small varieties of them in mind for the bank I am for the moment looking for something different, in the way of shrubs that could be left to their own devices and take up more room. The soil is poor and well drained so alpines would probably do well. I have ferns up there and also experimenting growing a Wilsonii clematis down the bank which will need some training to start with. Any other suggestions
would be very welcome.
9 Mar, 2012
Pernettya mucronata, Gaultheria procumbens, Pieris japonica, Erica carnea, Erica cinerea and Erica tetralllix
9 Mar, 2012
Brigit, I hope you manage to find some pretty things, I am a fairly inexeperienced gardener but my motto is just plant it and see, its probably wrong of me but all these different soil types mean nothing to me, I just use the same soil for everything and all my plant look fab. Good luck...
9 Mar, 2012
Hello! You can try any of the Abelia (small or large), in that aspect, which look after themselves, creating lovely open bushes of long flowering plants in either full sun or semi-shade, and some of the lychnis (catch fly). Both should do well in the area you recommend, and the lychnis will self-seed around if you wish it to. Creeping phlox might be another idea. Moon Growes ideas are lovely, especially if you do have an acid soil as regards the pieris, which is an all year round plant for interest with differing full grown heights. Azaleas cascading down the bank could look wonderful and again they generally look after themselves if you have an acid based soil. An occasional feed would keep them strong, together with some moisture! Winter flowering heathers would add colour between November and March.
10 Mar, 2012
Hi Bridgit, wow good for you! How about some Azalias, I have one in my garden and I never have to touch it, or perhaps some alpine plants.
8 Mar, 2012