In article ,
Ohioguy wrote:

Almost 2 years ago, I installed landscape fabric and blue rug
junipers in our front yard, which is sloped quite a bit. I was tired of
mowing it, and I knew we would be moving, so I wanted it to be low
maintenance.

The following spring and summer (2009), I finished putting large
whitish rock on top of the landscape fabric, to help protect it from the
sun, and also to make it less likely for weeds to get started.

Since the place is a duplex/double, there are two cement steps going
up the front yard. This means 3 separate areas. Everything has held up
well in two of the areas, but the third is a different story.

I'm not sure if it is partly due to the neighbor kid playing on the
stones, the mailman walking on them, or the increased slope. All I know
for sure is that the stones are coming loose on the steepest part, about
a 3' tall by 5' wide section, and moving down onto my neighbor's parking
slab. He doesn't like it. I don't like the fact that the landscape
fabric is once again exposed to the sun.

I've been trying to think of different ways to successfully solve
this problem. The main idea I had was to have someone use mortar mix,
or possibly fiber reinforced concrete to slap down a layer, then push
the stones down into that ~2" thick layer. Once it sets up, I don't
think the stones would move much. Another idea I had was possibly
putting the stone in, and then using metal mesh or something to help
hold it in place. However, that would need to be anchored somehow, and
would probably introduce ways for weeds to grow.

Anyone have experience with an issue like this? I'd like to get it
taken care of in the next week or two - the place is currently for rent,
and it is just one more headache that I don't need.

Thanks!

I absolutely wouldn't be using the concrete/mortar idea. Perhaps you
have roundish/smoothish stones, which barely stay put even on level
ground. You might do better with the kind of gravel they use for roads,
which is much more angular; the pieces lock together and stay put.