We've got a much higher clay cliff in our garden (ours is about 4m). Which is not to say you shouldn't get advice if you're unsure, but 'proper' clay is perfectly capable of sitting like that for decades. Ours is growing self seeders like foxgloves and ferns, elder and buddleia. It provides building material for the swallows and is alive with bees all summer (and the birds that like eating bees).
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
How about planting Ivies at the top and letting them trail down.
"punkdoc", thank you! That's an excellent idea and I attended to it this afternoon. You reminded me that that ivy loves to hang and cascade, and that when it has travelled upwards in other instances it did so only because
. . . plant something like standard honeysuckle, and leave it for miner bees to burrow into. 😊
I trained it to! The wall of clay is almost like concrete so digging holes on its top for the ivies was a tough job, but they're secure and the holes should collect moisture for them. And I think the top of the wall, being exposed, is not much visited by slugs. If by the end of the summer it seems to be working, I'll let you know. Thanks.
"Slow-worm", honeysuckle was a good idea! You reminded me that many years ago I selected a very hardy evergreen honeysuckle which thrived and climbed a trellis at 282 metres above sea-level. So I'm going to keep honeysuckle in mind now, just in case the ivies replanted on top of the wall don't thrive and cascade. Thank you.
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Re. the concern about the stability of the bank, it has been in its current state for 10 years to date, and, as mentioned above, it's extremely strong. Before we purchased the property a surveyor carefully considered it and deemed it absolutely safe.
I would try a Hedera helix variety, probably something non-variegated so it blends into the background rather than being too garish; but with a more attractive leaf than standard. Maybe interplant with Parthenocissus to hedge your bets. The previously suggested stacked logs will help those sorts of climbers establish by provising a bit of shade and retained moisture at the base.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Re. the concern about the stability of the bank, it has been in its current state for 10 years to date, and, as mentioned above, it's extremely strong. Before we purchased the property a surveyor carefully considered it and deemed it absolutely safe.
Well, that's as maybe...and I hope it stays put for another 10 years but as somebody who been in geotechnics for many years this 'wall of clay' would still be something I couldn't live with..over-cautious perhaps but there ya go..
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“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I trained it to! The wall of clay is almost like concrete so digging holes on its top for the ivies was a tough job, but they're secure and the holes should collect moisture for them. And I think the top of the wall, being exposed, is not much visited by slugs. If by the end of the summer it seems to be working, I'll let you know. Thanks.
Loxley, many thanks for suggesting the tasteful combination of non-variegated Hedera helix and some Parthenocissus!