Question
i have a hill/slope in my front yard...UGLY and hard to mow.  the hill is covered with grass and i would like to put ground cover junipers to eliminate mowing, do i have to remove the grass first or can i plant over the grass?  if i need to remove the grass how on earth can i do that?

Answer
Tammy,
The best way to do this is to get the following items at the garden center:

several rolls of black plastic.Sometimes you have to ask or it could be in the paint department.It is used for drop cloth when painting.It is very inexpensive also.Make sure it is black NOT clear.

garden staples:These are metal and U shaped.They come in boxes at Lowes and it's cheaper to buy quantity.These will be to hold down the plastic.

weed killer: They make a "Season Long" grass and weed killer now that is the strongest kind you can get in garden centers. If you have a farm supply store you might can find some stronger type.You can also buy concentrated to make it as strong as you want.

Spray the weed killer on a sunny,warm day when it is on the spot you want to kill the grass.Spray the weed killer over the entire area.Saturate the area really well. Be careful that you don't get it on your skin and don't do it when it is windy. After you spray,wait until the area looks dry(an hour or two). Then put down the plastic over the area that you sprayed and secure it with the metal staples.Use quite a few to keep it down so the wind won't get under it.

Wait approximately 4 to 5 days if you have had sunny hot weather.If you have had cooler weather or if it has rained,wait a few more days. When you lift up the plastic look closely to make sure the entire spot is brown.

Now you have 2 choices and this is pretty important. You can either leave the plastic down to prevent future weeds. Cut out holes where you want to plant.The only problem is that you say it is a slope and any mulch you put on it will more than likely slide off.
You could use some big rocks or flat pavers to cover the plastic.
Or you can just remove the plastic and plant your shrubs,then see if you are going to have a weed problem.If you can weed that spot easily then you are fine,but be assured weeds will return. If this happens and you don't have time to weed you can always put down the plastic again after you plant.

Hope this is helpful and it turns out well for you.Good luck!