I have been carrying dirt all summer slowly building this Xeric bed. This slope had 1" of topsoil over marl and then solid limestone so I decided to build up the slope. It looks a little scragly and bare in the photos. There are lots of seedling astragalus, tahoka daisies , California popies, scutelarias , rayless gailardia, bluestem grasses , deer muhlies , ipomopsis that will probably overcrowd things next summer and I will be weeding things wondering, why I planted things so closely. I need more rocks and some damianita. Come spring all the wild onions will be up too.

{{gwi:2119796}}

This smaller bed was built where I had a tad more native soil over the marl so I dug through the marl taking the rock out and building a raised dike on the downslope side and filled it with my xeric mix and crushed granite. I build in descending terraces of pockets. It is some nasty pickaxing. One needs to remember to wear glasses and keep ones moth shut. Note. I now have changed the last "A" in my name to "L" and renamed my inner "b*tch".One has to watch out for her. I have Agave potrerana and Agave ovatifolia "Frosty Blue" There is also more off to the right with some Cylindropuntia imbricate and Rubber rabbit bushes and savias, Blue Retama trees and such. All look under whelming at this point in life after a incredible amount of work. I like to leave the rock loose on the surface. The lizards love them.

{{gwi:2119797}}