I am in zone 9, Inland Empire, Southern California. I have a big back yard slope split by a v-ditch in the middle into 2 parcels. Please see picture. The slope is a little less steep(23 degree) than 2:1. Both parcels are about the same size, about 100'(horizontal) x 60'(slope) each.

I am thinking there should be some erosion control vegetation above the v-ditch. Some drought tolerance, desertscape or mix with some gravel or rockscape will save some water. The follow are some prefer plants. Let your imagination to be materialized on my back yard. Thank you in advance.

Not limited to the following:
Crepe Myrtle variety colors
Senecio ground cover
Lantana variety colors
Bouganvilla bush
Bronze & Green Flax
Aloe arborescens
Area for some fruit trees

A bad design well rendered is still a bad design.

People reading this forum and posting questions are lamentably prone to oohing and aaahing over anything done with pictures, while totally missing excellent advice that is being given in words, or if more than one picture is offered, falling like a stone for the prettiest one.

Currently the climate on the forum is such that no one dares to critique anyone else's contributions because they are afraid of getting their nose snipped off. So assuming you get some advice, it will be up to you to distinguish the good from the bad without the assistance of the expert designers or experienced gardeners who don't need the abuse that critical evaluation or disagreement usually brings on.

Karin L

Karin, thank you very much for your advice. I don't have any landscape brain at all!! Therefore, any advice whether in words or graphic rendering is greatly appreciated which allow me to read up or research further.

You should check with your local extension office to see what will grow easily with little water needs. They may be able to tighten up your list or make sure you don't but anything invasive or easily burnable. I'm sure they have a list of erosion control plants too.

If this were my back yard I'd want to keep the view open to its termination and frame it at right and left sides. We haven't seen much of the foreground, but I can envision high shade nearer the house that gives a sense of shelter and frames the distant view only from overhead. Fruit trees, being smaller, seem like they could flank the lower portion of the slope where they would provide some screening at the sides and be more convenient than a more distant location. While my picture is not "the prettiest," I hope it gives a general idea of what I'm talking about. I'm not dealing yet with low plantings, only trees and screening.

The idea of incorporating "gravel" anywhere on the slope area has no appeal to me... at the bottom of the slope on the level portion, maybe, but it would depend on how well it would integrate with other landscaping around the home. (That area has not been shown.) I could see using large boulders at the lower portion of the slope, but think these would add large expense so don't know if it would be worth it.

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Yardvaark - thank you for the suggestion and sketch/picture. Yes, it can be very costly which depends on the type of landscape design. However, at the time being I am planning to just plant the ground cover with some shrubs, grass and trees. But don't know where to plant those which provide a nice landscape.
This is not next to the highway. The top of the slope is a ridge full of tall shrubs which slope away from my property and down the canyon on the other side. Cannot see the canyon beyond the fence. Therefore, no view.
The steps are to help get up to the top of the slope where there is a narrow flat area for a gazebo (when I have the money to build it) and other landscape and has a nice view of the valley. Beautiful night lights and July 4th fireworks.
The rain water is draining onto the lawn which has many small inlets connecting to the drainage system which eventually drains out to the street from both sides of the house.
There is a nice view on the left side of the slope which I don't want any tall trees to block the view. Right side of the slope doesn't have nice view except neighbor's backyard. However, I don't want to block their view with tall trees as well. Therefore only some trees like Crepe Myrtle should minimize blocking the neighbor's view.
I fully agreed with your suggestion that fruit trees should be on the lower part of the slope for easy access.
Between the house and the toe of slope is the lawn area which is flat.
This is the top of the slope.

This is the toe of the slope.

deviant-deziner - Wow !! I am impressed with the landscaping. Very nice before and after pictures for comparison. I wonder how much maintenance you have to put in for these type of landscape. Putting seating along the way up the slope is such an excellent idea. I might incorporate a few in the future.

"However, I don't want to block their view with tall trees as well. Therefore only some trees like Crepe Myrtle should minimize blocking the neighbor's view." I don't understand your interpretation of what blocks a view and what maintains it. Of course, it depends from where one is viewing, but in general, tall trees with their canopies raised high--tall palms, for one example--allow one to see a distant view far beyond the trunks. Short trees like crape myrtle or fruit trees--whose canopies are barely above eye level--would tend to block the view beyond.

Again, I ask if you're planning on planting the ENTIRE 6K square feet? DIY or hiring a contractor? Saying that you're "only planning on planting..." ... does that mean you are excluding the idea of incorporating rock work?

Are these blocking or maintaining the view beyond?...

If you work with a local landscape designer and tell them how much of a maintenance budget you have on a monthly or weekly time frame , they can design a planting scheme that custom works with your budget. A local will also be familiar with your climate, wind, soil structure, water regulations , local codes and plants.