Hi, I garden has a boundary made up of mud earth the odd stone and covered in long couch grass I would like to replace the grass over time with short creeping plants

bit more info required - you've mentioned 'mud', does that mean the area is wet most of the time? What's the aspect, in other words, which way does the area face - is it subjected to cold northerly or easterly winds in winter? Or is it sheltered? Third, are you looking for a low growing hedge, informal or otherwise, or just random, low growing, creeping plants?

I'd also add that your biggest problem is likely to be eradicating the couch grass before you plant anything.

Thanks for reply.
When I said mud, I should have said thick heavy sticky clay-ish when wet it's not water logged as it's a bank/ earth wall, so normally very dry. The end boundary is south-easterly facing, we are on a slight hill and open to the winds as we are surrounded by farm land and do not at present have a hedge to protect us from the winds at the bottom and left hand side of the garden. I'm hoping to eventually have a mixed informal natural hedge with low growing creeping plant climbing up the bank on which this hedge will be sited. I think most of our winds in this part of southern Ireland are south-westerly. I was hoping getting rid of the grass won't be a problem but I guess that's not going to be the case. Jane

The creeping cotoneasters (such as C. dammerii, or Queen of Carpets) will probably do okay there - as for the hedging, that sounds as if it needs to be resilient for its open to all the elements. Depends whether you just want evergreens for hedging or don't mind a mix of deciduous and evergreen - some deciduous shrubs will tolerate wind, so it gives you more choice.

Thanks, I looked up the cotoneasters they look like they will do nicely. I'm going for a mix of deciduous and evergreen, I figure what I loose in wind break in winter I will gain in the changing views through the seasons.

Don't forget though, Cotoneasters do need half a day's sun at least - if you put up a hedge on top of the hill, will that create shade all day in that area, further down the slope?