Since you all were so helpful with my hedge question, can you suggest some good ground cover plants for a retaining wall? The retaining wall is about 3 feet wide and about 8 feet off the ground, so I'm really not interested in anything high maintenance. TIA for your suggestions!!

Have you looked at Carolina Jasmine?

Make sure whatever you put there will not hurt the integrity of the wall. I know some landscapers have told clients of mine to keep those walls clean of any vegetation.

We have ivy on ours.

You might want to check out Classy Groundcovers . You can get information and advice from them, and I've found they offer good service and excellent plants. Their prices are good for anyone who needs to buy groundcover in large quantities.

I would avoid anything with a deep root system as it may affect the integrity of the wall. I've always found that any type of creeping phlox makes a nice, colorful ground cover. It's pretty, relatively drought resistant and doesn't have a large root system.

Okay - been thinking about this . . . and a completely non-invasive root suggestion would be Clematis. I would highly suggest thinking about Clematis or as I mentioned earlier - Carolina Jasmine.

You may find it easiest to put up a trellis against the wall, then plant whatever you prefer so it attaches to the trellis, not the wall. This is how I have handled retaining walls in the past. Right now, I have clematis growing on trellis that I installed at the bottom of my top deck. It works beautifully.

If I had one thing to do over, tho, I would have bought the PLASTIC trellis, as that is so durable and no painting or staining required.