I've used Sheep's Fescue for the steep slopes along the perimeter of my yard since they work good in rocky soil and the New England clay like soil we have around these parts. Its pretty hardy stuff and comes in good based on my limited experience. I originally bought this seed to go specifically along with the wildflower mix as recommended by Blue Seal Feed & Seed company.

Tom: 7 years ago, I had my contractor do the same thing, but I have soil, now and again wash out a bit. (critters help it too!) It took 5 years at least for this all to settle in. In the meantime, I planted alot of shrubs on top, and numerous other plants in all the nooks and crannies. Their root systems help hold everything together. At first I used the local erosion control (daylilies) and replaced them as I bought and moved more plants about. If you email me, I might be able to dig up some pictures of mine. In the meantime, hang in there, there is nothing like a natural stone bank!

With the full sun progressing to shade as the say goes, you can plant a POOP LOAD of plants!!! I have to agree with morz that this is an opportunity waiting to happen. Something like this would be so exciting! Some plants that would do well in such soil and sun conditions are... Ligularia Phlox Paniculata Astilbes Aquilegia (Columbines) Ferns Hydrangeas Aconitum (Monkshood) Cimicifuga (Bugbane) Perennial Geraniums Lynchnis Viscaria Splendens (German Catchfly) Eupatoriums both Chocolate and Rugosa HOSTAS! Thalictrums Digitalis (Foxgloves) Filipendula (Meadowsweet) Aruncus Doicus (False Astilbe) Veronicastum Viginicum (Culvert's Root ??) Daylilies All of these are grown in sun to shade conditions that you mention in our gardens. I have discovered that these areas are often underutilized for their WOW factor. I know there is more. Do some research on shrubs too and incorporate them into the picture, maybe a couple of False Cypress evergreens. As I said, what an opportunity! Keep us posted! This is not the best photo, but it is one with such sun to shade as you describe.

it's diversity that will hold the bank together. so the more kinds of things you can plant there, the better. I'd start at the bottom of the ditch with water-tolerant species like flags, the native daylily species, and I'm sure there's something native to your area that tends to grow at the base of creekbeds. Primrose actually loves to live creekside, so you may be able to get them to adapt to the 'run-off' lifestyle. woodland phlox as well as the creeping form make good plants for naturalizing, and Lamium is a plant I never fail to plug- it goes from near full sun to pretty deep shade, and the silver and green foliage is always attractive. I'd put in more berry-bearing bushes...blueberries if your ground will support them (acidic soil is a must for them) or check for native species... http://www.tneppc.org/ this also has a list of things that your local aggies wish you would avoid, since they're better suited to the area than the natives.