Looks like one of your neighbours is putting up a little vineyard! That's a cool idea, but possible won't produce much volume.

If it were me, I'd be in there with a tonne of boulders to make a rock garden on that slope. Integrated into the design would be a few sets of steps to wander through and do a little weeding as the plants grow in. I'd be thinking mostly dwarf and medium growing conifers if you want low maintenance, if you can grow those in your climate. If not, lots of rock garden plants are ground covering and will suppress weeds. But then, I'm a gardener and love having lots of spaces to grow and display plants.

If you want less labour-intensive to start with, however, I'd agree with trees and mulch, with a groundcover designed to fill in under the trees, or just wait until the grass dies out as the trees grow. But even then, no reason why you can't install some steps.

Wow, that is a steep incline, but really it is just the backdrop for your yard. It may inform your planting decisions to think of it that way. Rather than draw focus to it, draw focus away from it.

I would imagine that mulch would just roll down that hill in the rain. Also, I'm not sure on this, but planting on a steep hill can be very tricky...especially trees because you don't want to cover the crown, yet you don't want to leave exposed roots on the other side. A tricky proposition that probably involves some research.

Honestly, my temptation would be to plant trees and shrubs at the bottom of the incline and let the incline go to weed, as it were.

However, if you do wish to plant the hillside, I think Karin's idea of bringing in some boulders/rocks is a good one. You would have to use tough plants, like cotoneaster, potentilla, and junipers, that will hug the ground and keep it from eroding, but that also handle dry conditions that are likely to be present on such a banking. Lirope, as you suggest would work too, in clumps.

Patty

Are you in So. California? When I was there, "freeway daisies" were a big thing, so called because they were used along the freeways (duh!). Osteospermum, the white kind.

Maro

I have some slopes to cope w/ myself, but not as tall as yours. I agree that mulch would likely wash right off.
What kind of jasmine? I have Carolina jasmine (a vine w/ little yellow flowers) and Confederate jasmine (tiny white, very fragrant flowers, a low, sprawling shape). I am concerned that most vines are likely to take over and grow into your yard and your neighbors' yards. Periwinkle will also spread rampantly. I would consider some of the sprawling, disease-resistant roses. Here (coastal NC) I am trying sedum and Stella d'ora daylilies. My slope is narrower and runs along my driveway- it's all sand of course. I would be careful about placing rocks- if they are large, you might need to dig out a bit under them so they will stay put, also you will need to cover the area in such a way to prevent weeds getting in w/ your rocks. Sedum is often planted in rock gardens. Good luck w/ whatever you decide to try. And, as another reader said, that slope is a backdrop to your yard so keep in mind that what you plant there will frame the rest of your yard. Brandy

There are two photos of the knot garden at Filoli Gardens in the link below. While your house is probably not formal enough in style to warrant a knot garden, I think that masses of plants similar to those used at Filoli would give you something beautiful to look at. I would plant in large, interweaving, irregular drifts. You could use pieces of "batter board" or something similar to create pockets to hold the soil until your plants are established.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Hi Jeff. We've got a slope in our backyard that looks to be about the same grade as yours, only not as wide. We put a pond at the bottom of the slope and built a waterfall into the side of the slope. The waterfall has been in place for 2 years and has held up beautifully. THis spring, the rest of the slope was heavily planted with spreading and upright junipers, various suckering, drought tolerant shrubs, and loads of tough groundcover perennials with varying mature heights. I mulched the entire hill with a 4-5" layer. We've had several rounds of severe thunderstorms and the mulch has only washed away minimally. I figure I will have to replenish it next year and the following year, but I expect that by its third year the perennials and shrubs will have spread enough that I will not need to mulch. I also bought about 600lbs of 2" flagstone pieces which I half buried into the slope. Not only do they make great random steps for ease of maintenance, we think they really add to the beauty of the slope.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Lizzy

I am very grateful for the feedback! Thank you! Actually in the background is surrounding Livermore Wine Country. I actually ran into a neighbor who has a similar slope and had talked to a landscape designer. He came up with a montage of Orange Blossom shrubs around the fence with some surrounding oleander and some lavender I believe. Maybe it could be places in mass plantings like the knot garden..

He also placed some Chaste Trees in the corner and Black Acacia trees in the slope and throughout the property. I don't know much about those. Finally he spread throughout the hill some ground cover roses (not sure of the name). I would imagine they drop their dead heads? It's all on paper only so I dont know what the results would be but apparently it fits the dry arrid summers in NoCal.

I do love Lizzy's idea of random flagstone pieces. I am afraid to dig too much without firm roots and risk erosion....

In any case you have all had wonderful ideas. I will look into the other plants as well. Thanks again! I would love to hear any feedback on the neighbor's plan.

jeff.

Jeff,

Friends of mine have a similar backyard slope at their new home near you in Dublin, CA. Their slope is a bit deeper. They terraced the slope so that it has three levels with steps going to the top level. The slope is planted with drought tolerant plants that do so well in our climate. I can't recall their complete plant list, but they have several types of lavender, sage, plumbago, ornamental grasses, agapanthus, fragrant jasmine, ground roses, African daisies, Dietes, and so forth. Rosemary is cascading over the edge of the stone terraces. They have some small ornamental trees too, but the trees were young when I was there, and I didn't pay attention to what types they planted. At the base of the terraced area, they have a pretty patio, where they do their outdoor entertaining. It turned out beautifully.

Here are some plant lists for you. All of these plants are drought tolerant, but some may not be appropriate for your slope:

http://www.acwd.org/wc_garden_maps.php5

http://www.ccwater.com/conserve/c-wwplant.asp

Have you been to Alden Lane Nursery? I have found the people there to be very helpful. http://www.aldenlane.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: Alameda County Drought Tolerant Demonstration Garden

Vicki-

Thank you very much for your input! The links were excellent. I've been to Alden but they wanted to hook me up with a landscape designer....

I will get to work on this over the summer and fall and post some follow up photos. Thank you again!

jeff

I'm glad the lists were useful. Draw up a plan (design) now. Then build your terraces, prepare the soil with amendments, and install your irrigation lines. Wait until late fall to do your planting. Your plants will thank you for not planting in 85-100 degree temps, and the winter rains will help them establish deep roots.

Actually, it might really help to think of that slope, which will display plantings beautifully, as your future view (because it is!) and thus plan to develop it into a beautiful one you can enjoy all the time, rather than seeing it mostly as a problematic backdrop to your garden. A mixture of tree, shrubs, and groundcovers, such as your landscape designer suggested, is a good start, but what will be done with them to make glancing out the window a continual pleasure? In a hot climate, the cool mystery of shade under a handsome tree can be really appealing. And what might be found back there on further gazing?