KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR COMPETITORS? AND THOSE SLOPES?

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what about your competitors? Well I like to have a gay old time with mine. It's not about being in competition with one another. It's about helping each other learn and grow. Simply put I amongst other members of the Orange County Landscape Design Network meet once monthly to network, share idea, eat, drink

This month began a fresh start for the year in which our topic was slopes. Rick Harlow

A few points that Rick made... and be marry. (horticulture instructor at Orange Coast College) came to talk to us about said subject. How to design and properly irrigate a slope area is hard. The land is not flat and depending on how steep it is, it could give away if there is an earth quake or some other natural disaster.

• When planting on a slope it is best to start with smaller size containers - this is true because smaller size plants have a much higher chance of acclimating to their new environment than more mature ones. This is also true with humans.
  
• Depending on the width of the slope you may want to allow for a pathway - this will give you a flat surface on that slope to walk, stand or sit with a glass of wine and enjoy the view.
• Creating a terracing effect will add interest to the landscape and allow for more planting combination's.
• When irrigating a slope you should always put the top of the slope on a separate valve then the bottom - this is true because of water runoff. The bottom of any slope will always require a bit more watering than the top.

If you have a sloped yard feel free to comment on here and post pictures and tell us what you did in your slope.