How can I hide a long pipe on a slope?
Pat236
Posts: 4
We have just moved into a house in southern France which is situated on the side of a hill. The land is rocky, chalky, with a thin layer of soil on the slope, facing south west and in full sun - it gets extremely hot here with temps over 40C. We are having the sloping area which drops away from the front of the house cleared of ivy, brambles, etc. and this has exposed the septic tank pipes which are approx. 5-6" in diameter. I would appreciate any ideas of how to cover them, as far as possible, either with low planting which will spread or a mixture of plants low growing evergreen, higher growing, perhaps some flowering - anything, really, which will cover the area. We might be able to add some soil in pockets to make it possible to plant a wider variety but we cannot add much as it will get washed away with the torrential rains we also get. Many thanks.
Posts
Perhaps post a few photos ...
Thanks for the suggestion. I hope these pics are adequate to give an idea of the problem.
Sorry - upside down the first time!
For that sort of aspect, these plants should do fine. Achilleas, Rosemary, Santolina Chamaecyparissus, Festuca Paniculata grasses. Not too high, so will not end up flopping over.
Last edited: 15 July 2017 16:43:57
when you are planting things in the garden you'll probably dig up lumps of chalk and stones. Collect them up and keep putting them under and around the pipe. It would be safer for it not to be exposed (safe from being broken, I mean) and although it's obviously not an option to bury it, you should try to get it more or less underground in the long term.
A prostrate juniper such as 'blue carpet' would be happy there. And lavender
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The pipe looks as though it should be a bit more supported. I would do that before growing anything over it.
Thanks for all the useful suggestions so far. I particularly appreciate the plant suggestions and supporting the pipe from underneath. There is next-to-no weight ever running through such pipes (just waste water from time to time) so supporting it with things dug out from elsewhere is a good idea.