What I can do in a canyon slope ?

[Cobol Java]

I recently bought a home that is on the top of a canyon. The flat yard ends at the canyon slope, but my property lines extend well beyond the yard and includes about 5000 sqft in the slope area also. It is definitely not a gradual slope as you can imagine, but not dangerously too steep either, about a 30 degree slope for the most part. Just starting to think of how to utilize this area in an interesting way while making sure I don't do something to cause soil erosion etc. Any high level pointers would be deeply appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Lily-Luvver]

Hi Cobol Java,

Some pics might help us to see / understand.

Happy to give pointers, but it's hard to envision this with just text. I'm sure you understand

 

[Cobol Java]

@Lily-Luvver - absolutely. I will post some pics first thing tomm, but I am posting an image from Google earth for now. The red highlighted region is the area of interest. The blue line is a walkway with some small fruit trees that were planted just recently. It is about 12 feet below the yard line in red above (which I hope gives a sense of the steepness).

 

[Tetters]

That space is shouting for a cave home - or store/growing area. I suppose you will need to move slowly and keep winding your way down - gaining ideas as you go.

 

[marlingardener]

How about leaving it alone? It seems to be pretty well covered with vegetation, probably native plants. You could terrace the area, with a lot of labor and landscaping timbers or rocks and $$$.
Are there any animals/birds that use this area for habitat or food?

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am just gonna wait. A top down photo on a question of horizontal slope has passed my geometric abilities and left them in the weeds, so to speak.

 

[Tetters]

@Cobol Java, can we have a look at some more photos please

 

[Lily-Luvver]

Hmm, yeah I would just leave that area alone. It looks like it will be more trouble than its worth to uproot all that native vegetation and start putting other plants down, and then maintain those plants year round.... on a slope! Yikes.

If you want a nice colourful display, I would just consider a potted garden at the top of the slope, on the concreted area. Lots of large plant pots filled with wonderous plants, flowers and small trees.

Plus a "container garden" has the added benefit of you being able to move the pots around to wherever you like, at a moments notice!

Decide you dont like the "container garden" where it is? No problem! You can just move them all somewhere new! Easy peasy.