Perennials on the slope

¨A plant to a landscape architect is, what brick is to an architect.¨   - a wise saying.

While landscape architecture has been stretching its field towards urbanism, territorial design, climate adaptive solutions and so on, plants are still one of the most important tools in design. If one is shifting towards landscape architecture from a slightly related background, one quickly gets to start understanding the inevitability of learning some tricks related to plant selection. And there are millions of species to choose from, as well as several different contexts, demanding several different solutions. 

In Norwegian landscapes, one often finds steep terrains. In a recent project I had to propose a new planting plan and I got quite excited to find a wide range of species that thrive in such steep slopes and are very low maintenance. While choosing a good match for a certain area, there are several things to keep in mind; the depth and quality of the soil, the length and width of the planting area, the sunlight, wind, erosion, water drainage, as well as the wish for the atmosphere of the space. 

I proposed them in several layers, some short trees, some with dense foliage, some perennials with autumn colors and some with all year colorful foliage. 

Conceptual illustration 

List of selected trees, perennials and ground covers

Sorbus aucuparia (Villrogn)
Carpinus betulus (Agnbøk)
Acer campestre (Naverlønn)
Pyrus salicifolia (Vierpære)
Taxus baccata (Barlind)
Heuchera micrantha 'Palace purple'
Heuchera sanguinea
Heuchera 'Marmalade'
Hedera helix (Eføy)
Asarum europeaum (Europahasselurt)
Galium odoratum (Myske)

Here are some more recommendations for plant species growing on a steep area.

Plants for slope

Perennials