A very nice house!

Are you looking to replace all of the grass between the stone wall and the house? Or if it is only part way, where is the stopping place?

Creeping rosemary
Creeping raspberry
Creeping Iceplant

They all look pretty nice all year around. The rosemary is the most costly and is best planted in spring, but it really does look fantastic cascading down the hillside, plus it's useful and easy.

Thanks for the replies.

Esh_ga: I don't want to cover the entire front yard. Just up the hill and stopping a couple of feet shy of the last (highest) stone step (probably about 7-10 linear feet deep). Then there will still be about 15 linear feet of grass between where the ground cover ends and the shrubs on the front of the house.

In addition to what GGG suggested, a low growing juniper is very often used in this situation. Look for the cultivar 'Blue Pacific' in one gallon containers at Home Depot and Lowes. There is also 'Blue Rug' or something similar but it is very low growing; I think the Blue Pacific would be more attractive here.

If you want a little more effort - consider putting knockout roses in the upper part - such a nice sunny area would be perfect for them.

Since it's your first house, you could do the juniper now and in several years, take some out when you're ready for something that requires more work.

I have creeping phlox on a steeper clay full sun hill and they seem to be bulletproof. You can make a nice arrangement using the creepies and junipers. Their foliage are all different colors and textures for year round interest. Knockout roses will also make you feel like a gardener-just follow the planting instructions on the tags.
Welcome and good luck.

Wonderful house. I'd like to suggest you find out if Roundup will work at this time of year to kill the grasses in the sloped area. Feel you must clear it before planting.

Your house is too special for mere junipers, so second the ideas of Knockout roses and creeping raspberry. Knockouts are basically evergreen here.

Have fun!
Rosie, in Sugar Hill

By the way, that Leyland cypress on the corner of the house (on the left in the picture) will get bigger, so if it seems big now (crowding the corner), you might consider taking it out while it is still doable.

What a beautiful house. I agree it is too nice for just juniper, and all the creeping plants that have been suggested are nice but I think you should try to compliment the architecture. Check sites for craftsmen style. Don't be in to huge a hurry to plant right now, do the research now and plant in the spring.
You could echo the stone wall by building small retaining walls to plant small trees or shrubs in. The possibilities are endless!

Just looked out at my hillside garden and came up with some ideas for you.
- Spanish Lavender gets very wide and not too tall. I've tried other lavenders with no success.
- Russian Sage
- Cone flower or black eyed susans
- almost any kind of Salvia
- Muhly grass
- Any of the small native trees (redbud Dogwood..)

It could be a show stopper.

how about something different for your lovely home? barren strawberry (waldsteinia fragarioides) is an evergreeen, native groundcover for sun or shade. barry click of sunshine farm and gardens recommends it for either type of site and also says that the foliage will bronze during cold weather. the bright yellow spring flowers and bronze winter foliage would complement the colors of your wall and home. probably available only through mailorder.

Here is a link that might be useful: barren strawberry

I will have to say that barren strawberry in Atlanta does not like a lot of sun. I've grown it, and established in only in good soil in consistently moist, part-shady areas.

I wouldn't be quick to cross junipers off my list. I think a couple of junipers spilling over your wall would look great. Like Esh said, 'Blue Pacifica', or one of the mounding junipers should be fine. They are evergreen and would provide some year round interest. But only a few, I wouldn't go crazy with them.

Back that up with some of the other suggestions in this thread and in just a few years people will be stopping on the sidewalk to stare. ; )

Thanks for all the replies.

As for the grass, the picture is old and I've long since killed everything that was growing (it was 100% weeds anyways). I'm thinking of throwing in a creeping phlox on either side. I want to keep it simple right now, and I don't really want to wait until Spring.

Fall is a great time to plant and here in Atlanta, you can pretty much plant on into December (and beyond). No need to wait except if things are not available in the store (such as creeping phlox). Go for it!

Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii (Coralberry) alternating with
Symphoricarpus albus (Snowberry) does great for me in a similar situation. It says that it will grow to 6', mine is in great health and never reached that height. It will spill over the wall before it stands. I have a few small trees - vitex, dwarf cherry, growing through mine, looks outstanding multi season and low maintenance, low water.

Doesn't creeping phlox look bad in the summer or am I thinking a different plant? Probably you can plant phlox right under Symphoricarpos anyway.

Just to add even more to the mix.

All good ideas (although Knockouts are not evergreen year round in Atlanta). Just because there are so many good ideas, and if you're like me, you have a hard time choosing and integrating them, STOP and find a landscape designer for a couple hundred bucks that will give you some real design guidance.

I agree with William. I've seen a lot of rushed jobs being redone in a few years. That can lead to back breaking work (removing juniper) and wasted money. BTW I don't hate juniper I just think they have be greatly over used.
While fall is a great planting time for trees and shrubs, spring is a better time for perennials, not only will the selection be better then but the plants won't have to struggle though a hard winter.
Go to the library and look at some books for inspiration - be careful not to fall head over heals for a plant that won't grow here. Get some garden catalogs (don't buy from them necessarily) like Wayside or Bluestone, they are packed full of great pictures and info. Plan to spend some time on the research and/or hire a designer, it'll save time and money in the long run.