Starting out

We just moved into a home in southern California. It's on a steep hill, up above the valley floor. At the moment it's a bit of a blank slate, as far as the surroundings are concerned, and I will use this blog to document what becomes of it. After many hassles, FNMA (aka Fannie Mae) finally decided to finalize the transaction on October 22, just over 2 weeks ago. Here's what we have to work with.
Did I mention there's a slope involved? Here you get an overview of the large driveway, upper retaining wall and hill above the house.

Here's a closer look at that repaired hillside. A landslide in the famous rains of December 2010 brought this hillside down into the house. It was repaired last spring with this reinforced vertical railroad tie wall, landscape fabric (heavy burlap), and baffles. Evidently it was hydroseeded...and evidently it was not watered thereafter. We're strategizing how to control erosion. My intrepid husband, who is used to life in a mountainous country, is confident the erosion can be dealt with.

From the back of the house there's more hill to deal with.
















The backyard is truly empty. The steps on the right lead into the master bathroom.

As we continue around the house, this is the front (east-facing) aspect. To the left the land slopes precipitously.














Looking north, the San Bernardino mountains create a dramatic backdrop.

However, a closer look reveals a very dead patch of sod. Imagine our surprise when, just after collapsing exhausted into our bed around midnight the first night there, we heard a loud hissing noise. The sprinkler system worked flawlessly, twice per night, irrigating this crunchy piece of turf.

This is where we are beginning. The only existing "added" landscape is a half dozen or so lily-appearing plants on the east side at the front of the house.

Our work is cut out for us!