Ivy dilemma front yard hill

[avacado]

My husband and I have very little experience with gardening. Our house sits atop a small hill. The previous owner had planted some nice looking English ivy. It was a nice ground cover and had the added bonus of being maintenance free.
A couple of years ago, the ivy started turning brownish. It just looks terrible now. We had a large tree removed last year and my husband also believes that the equipment for removing the tree may have been parked on the hill, creating some bald spots.
We really need help but aren't sure where to start. We live in Maryland, zone 7, I think. The house faces south and gets quite a bit of sun.
We need to know: 1) what to do about the ivy... get it removed? try to salvage it? 2) If removing ivy is the way to go, what is a good ground cover that would work? 3) Basic steps for planting new growth, rules for maintenance too.

We are embarrassed about how awful it looks. See photos...

Many thanks!!!!

(Also, we have two young children, so limited on time a bit as well. Should we just outsource it all?)

[tomf]

Ivy is invasive, get rid of it. Plant something nice. My 2 cents worth.

[avacado]

Thank you!! Forgot to mention that we are also worried about erosion so you definitely pinpointed a need there.

[tomf]

I would consider low growing bushes, you can even get some that flower.

[123]

My husband and I have very little experience with gardening. Our house sits atop a small hill. The previous owner had planted some nice looking English ivy. It was a nice ground cover and had the added bonus of being maintenance free.
A couple of years ago, the ivy started turning brownish. It just looks terrible now. We had a large tree removed last year and my husband also believes that the equipment for removing the tree may have been parked on the hill, creating some bald spots.
We really need help but aren't sure where to start. We live in Maryland, zone 7, I think. The house faces south and gets quite a bit of sun.
We need to know: 1) what to do about the ivy... get it removed? try to salvage it? 2) If removing ivy is the way to go, what is a good ground cover that would work? 3) Basic steps for planting new growth, rules for maintenance too.

We are embarrassed about how awful it looks. See photos...

Many thanks!!!!

(Also, we have two young children, so limited on time a bit as well. Should we just outsource it all?)

Its been sprayed with herbicide.

[rainbowgardener]

aaahhh! Thanks 123. Now that you mention it, I think you are right. It was puzzling, what would kill ivy like that, which is generally pretty unstoppable. I didn't think about herbicide, because I thought if that were the case the OP who is the owner, would have mentioned it. But yes, whether OP did it or someone else, that must be what happened.

[123]

Definitely Herbicide , that is why it is patchy.