This is a picture of my steep front yard. John plans to terrace it all at some point. He has done two rows of plants on the botton and the top is where he is doing the rock work for the walk way.
Just wanted to show you all what I have been talking about for two years.
Ruby
Another from a different vantage point. Can you imagine leaving home and returning in an ice storm? ha-ha
Ruby,
We love on a very sloped property. In the winter, I couldn't get down
the hill sometimes and would take off my shoes. My DH put in stone
steps and a "bridge" to get to the deck. Heaven sent.
Wonderful Tammy. I am not sure what John will end up doing so that I can navigate around once the plants are in. I really love your picture. Lots of rock that make everything look so lovely.
Thanks for sharing. I might refer to it when John get ready to terrace the yard.
Ruby
thank you.
There are times when I envy people with some slope to the land, unlike my totally flat lot.
Lovely photos ruby and Tammy :) Our property is sloped as well but it levels off some at the back of the house before sloping again to the field. That's one reason I gave up on having a vegetable garden - it had to be planted near the field to get enough sun and by the time I came back up the hill with the few vegetables I was able to collect I was huffing and puffing! LOL I'll have to see if I can find any pictures to show you the slope. It's hard to see it now with all the trees we've planted!
We have stone walls, steep slopes and a spring. That means no mowing with
a tractor. I spend 3-4hrs a week pushing a mower. I love the hills but it does mean
more work.
Sally, John says that he will trade you. ha-ha It is easier to do rock work on flat land than a mountain side he says. I know that you probably weren't trying to be funny with your statement, but we both laughed anyway. Sorry Sweetie. When we think of you, for some reason we get happy and laugh.
We love you!!! We have decided to print out some of your off the wall comments and put them on our bathroon mirror so that we can start each day in a good mood.
Debbie, even though my parents always had a huge vegetable garden each year, it is not something that I have ever tried. I usually do tomatoes and some years will do green peppers. The only way that I have tomatoes this year is thanks to Critter and Gita who shared their bounty at Becky's swap. All are producing, but not at eating stage yet.
Bring the photos on Debbie. I am always in awe of some of the beauties that you take. You have a lovely place.
Ruby
Cross posted Tammy. Hey, the whole reason for eventually terracing the front yard is because he is tired of mowing it. We understand.
Ruby
I've had two properties with steep sloping areas. My friends tease me
by calling me a mountain goat. Its a love/hate relationship.
You can also plant the hillside with all sorts of tough plants, as I have this
steep slope. I mowed it the first year I was here and decided that was just
completely nuts!
Or this rocky hillside... I dreamed of converting it from rocks, invasive vines
and brambles to something pretty. Well... 10yrs later, I'm starting to see the
conversion.
ruby- bless you guys---its nice to be appreciated for thinking off the wall! sometimes I kick myself for not enough thinking "on the wall" like what am I making for dinner, what do I need at the grocery store., all that boring stuff!
Maybe John should come here and buld me a thinking wall.
Tammy- gorgeous! I have been adding flowrbed space since we bought here, telling my self its better use of space than lawn. But there are times when I think I spend much more time maintaining beds, at high skill level, than lawn, which takes seconds per square foot when you can just run over it. Now, on your slope, I agree its better to plant and weed than try to mow.
Tammy, I really love the looks of your slopes. I am going to print off the walkway that your husband did and also these two photos, in order to have reference when we begin planting the front. Man, no shortage of rocks at your place either. ha-ha
Sally, I totally understand what you are saying about sometimes having too much to think about and things getting a bit mixed up. If I didn't write down every single thing that I plan to do, nothing would ever get done. I usually have several lists in the kitchen where my purse sits and several on my desk. I have been doing this for years because I have found lists from way back. Always interesting to read and see what was going on at any given time.
Ruby
thank you so much Ruby! I appreciate your compliments Sally & Ruby.
Tam
Rocks, rocks and more rocks - I think I need to buy myself a quarry! LOL With the lower levels in the creek after last year's drought, I've actually found one area where I could collect quite a few good sized ones for the gardens but since I didn't get around to it when it was cooler, I'm going to have wait until the snakes go into hiding for the winter. Regardless of snakes, it won't be an easy job - will have to cut cattle fence, throw them up over the bank, haul through about 20 yds of brush and then repair fence!
Tammy, your rocky hillside is going to be gorgeous. 10 years is a long time but I'd say it was worth the wait :)
Oops forgot, was going to post this picture - doesn't give you a very good idea of the slope, but the red arrow shows where the house is. My daughter and her husband are visiting from Maine and it's been four years since she was here during the summer. When we were sitting on the deck she couldn't believe how much everything has grown up around the house - said it was like sitting in a "tree house"! LOL
Ruby, I think your yard is beautiful, slope and all.
Tammy, if we ever get you here for a swap, I'll have to bring you some of the prickly pear cactus that grows here. They thrive on dry slopes and have the prettiest yellow flowers in the spring.
I have some optunia something. Its just awful to weed around. I ruined
a really nice pair of gloves - got the stickers in them. I dug out one patch
of it and put it on the path the deer use to climb up from the field below
me. It didn't survive the rough treatment. I have one more patch I think I'll
just pitch. How do you weed around it?
Ladies, I'm lovin your pictures of slopes and stones.
Ruby, OMG thought you took the photo with the camera on an angle..yep, that's a slope..am sure John will create something wonderful for you..lucky lady!
Tammy, not much will grow on the slope where the cactus grows around here. I don't weed around it. If I did, I'd probably just stick a box over the cactus to keep from getting stuck. It's opuntia, btw.
Hi Gals - Yes Betty, I am truly blessed. Hart, I have a hillside that some of the prickly pear would be excellent for. Can a person just stop along the road side and pick it, or do you have a good supply at your place?
When I was in high school, a set of my cousins always called me Wild Mountain Woman. I guess that I was and also the kids that I hung out with, were also. ha-ha
Ruby
Ruby & Tammy, Your lovely hills just look wonderful with all of the rocks and plants. I'm with Sally , now living in "flatlands". Your photos really make me miss my rock gardens!!!!
Ruby, I love your boulder edging. You are going to be so happy when planting your soon to be terraced slope!!!!
Ruby, I have plenty of the cactus. It grows all over the yard.
Thanks Stormy and Hart, I may have to see about getting some of the Cacti in the future.
Ruby
