any suggestions for a groundcover, to help with soil erosion?

[Gonzo & The Peeps]

I need to redue the backyard! My chickens ate ALL the grass out back, so next week, guess who's getting fenced in! Anyway, I need to plant some grass, but around my pool area, I've noticed some erosion... what would be a good thing to use to slow or stop this? I thought about putting down some weed barrier, putting down some sand for drainage, and putting crushed brick, or some kinda rock there, with some kinda plant(ajuga?) to border and help shore things up. I would love to just put in ground covering plants, but my kids are heathens in the pool, and that side usually floods from all that thrashing, and jumping in. There probally isn't anything alive thats clorhine tolerant.... Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[journey11]

I think the rocks would work great. You can get "prettier" kinds of gravel, add stepping stones, sculptures and potted plants and such for visual interest.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I heard that Creeping Thyme is good and I have some "chicken-proof" areas that I am going to use it. I am also going to make my own stepping stones w/ river pebbles inserted in them. I will use these as a buffer between my raised beds to keep the weeds down.

I have cast foot path stones before and there is nothing easier to make. Between these I am planning on using the Creeping Thyme. :tools

 

[lesa]

I know the stones can look nice- but if you are like me, someday you will really regret them!!! Don't ask...There are a lot of ground covers that are pretty indestructible. I am not sure which grow well in your location, but around here, bishops weed (snow on the mountain), vinca vine, mints are impossible to kill. How about a few stepping stones to the entrance of the pool and the rest ground cover? Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

If the area gets walked on, and/or gets pool water on a regular basis, honestly you are best off with something nonliving. Gravel, or nice-looking pavers. (Or mulch if it would not get tracked into the pool). Pavers might be the best solution. Or flagstones. Something like that.

There are no groundcovers besides grass (or weeds ) that bear up under substantial foot-traffic, and there isn't much that will have a sense of humor about repeated dunkings with chlorinated water either.

Sorry,

Pat

 

[vfem]

My creeping jenny survives anything... i use it all the places that puddle up around the property i can't get anything else to grow in.

 

[SunnyDawn]

I would put in a raised bedding area since nothing survives a lot of chlorine. If you put in a retaining wall you could put a stone cap on it that would double as seating for guests.