Thank you for contacting the UVM helpline with your question and providing photos. A ground cover is an excellent choice for this location since it controls erosion, prevents weeds, brings beauty to the landscape and requires very little maintenance once established. They are particularly useful on slopes which are prone to unstable soils.

Before planting, it is important to eliminate any weeds. Ideally you may want to have a soil test performed to determine pH and if any fertilizer is required. Soil test forms and instructions can be found on the UVM website: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/agricultural-and-environmental-testing-lab). Ground covers are very adaptable to a variety of soil conditions but grow best if the pH is between 6.0 and 7.0.

Most ground cover plants can be planted any time during the growing season, but either spring or fall is preferred when temperatures are mild and rain is more frequent. Summer planting is possible, but you will need to frequently water during hot, dry weather. Once planted, watering, weeding, mulching and feeding will necessary for the new planting. A mulch of compost or leaf mold or similar organic material applied between plants will conserve moisture , reduce weeds and decrease erosion until the plant roots are extensive enough to do the job

When we think of ground covers, we think of a low growing plants that spread quickly to form layers of vegetation such as spurge (Pachysandra) or English ivy but steep slopes are perfect for perennials such as daylilies, creeping phlox, hosta, lamb’s ears, stonecrop or a variety of ornamental grasses. It all depends on your wish list of whether you want flowers, foliage height, color or texture. The following websites have specific suggestions for plants:

https://extension.unh.edu/resource/groundcovers-new-hampshire-fact-sheet

https://blogs.cornell.edu/master-gardeners-cce-oc/2021/03/17/smart-gardening-with-perennial-evergreen-groundcovers/

Regarding guidance for terracing/stairs, we are able to provide researched-based answers to gardening questions, but unfortunately we do not have the expertise to recommend materials, structures or any design. I would recommend searching on the internet and watching videos on YouTube and in particular look for images of other people’s properties similar to yours for ideas.

I hope this helps and happy gardening!