What ground cover for a steep bank?

Cotoneaster dammeri, or Cotoneaster Queen of Carpets - both only get less than 4 inches high, and Queen of Carpets spreads and spreads. Evergreen,tiny white flowers followed by red berries in winter, no pruning

But remember that weeds will still grow on the membrane and under the ground cover.

You could try Vinca, the green on variegated. Should cover the whole area within a year, now is a good time to plant.

I wouldn't suggest membrane with the Cotoneasters I mentioned - they root in the ground as they spread, so a membrane would defeat that process.
Vinca's also a bit of an untidy grower, and I don't reckon it much as a weed suppressant, since it sprawls on top of the soil and roots at the tips only.

another possibility would be the prostrate salix - that can and will suppress and weed or wonderful plant for that matter. Again no membrane.

Why not go for something like Phlox subulata/douglassii? They are spreading, low growing, evergreen and they flower too, in every colour except yellow/orange. No membrane needed with them either.

Thank you for all the constructive ideas. We are being told we need a 'stabilising' membrane because of the steepness of the bank. Greenfix Type 9 is being recommended.

For a 35 degree slope? Our Rock bank is about that sort of angle and that is stable. Interesting.

Ours is just sandy soil. Are you saying we shouldn't need one? Bank may be a bit steeper than that. it's difficult to tell.

Pam, who is telling you that you need a stabilising membrane?

As far as I'm aware, stabilising material for a slope is usually a wire mesh - is that what they mean?

The landscapers, because of the slope and soil type . What they are proposing is a coir matting backed with a degradeable black membrane. Actually the product is called a Mulchmat from Greenfix, I think it may be the landscapers 'over-egging' the words by talking of stabilisation, but suggesting this to avoid soil erosion whilst rooting takes place.

My main concern is the planting type they are proposing of lonicera pileata, which as far as I know needs twice a year clipping to look any good, and, because of the size of this bank, if/when it grows will become fairly impenetrable and unmaintainable and the bank will look dreadful.

Then tell them what you want she who pays the piper calls the tune remember.

Sounds like they are trying to 'sell' you something you don't need to me. I agree that the lonicera pileata isn't the best of ideas - grows to around a metre in height so would need regular clipping. The shrubs mentioned above a truly prostrate.

Thanks for your input. I am trying to get my facts together before I query the 'suggestion' . It's a communal project so not quite as easy to be the piper.

Your local council might be a useful resource, the parks department, or whatever - ask them what they use for soil stabilisation on steep areas - I bet its open, strong wire mesh, fixed firmly at the edges. This would keep the soil in place, and if you planted something like the Cotoneasters above, they'd still be able to spread and root as they go. I wouldn't have thought, though, that a 35% slope would have a desperate need for stabilisation of that type, but then I'm not a landscape architect or an engineer.