bob64 -- thanks for the sympathies. Still I know alot of other folks are worse off so we can make due. The good news is we had an unexpected thunder shower pass through a few hours ago, yay and chance for more tomorrow!!! Didn't hang around long but gave all my beds and compost piles a decent drink. dorisl -- I'm curious why you recommend spreading them out more horizontally than vertically. Wouldn't that kind of pile dry out quicker than a big thick one (assuming I can actually get it moist to start with of course)? Frankie -- fluffing shouldn't be a problem but moisture could be tough. Will do the best I can though. There's no dead-set time frame, I can be patient. I was just wondering if it would be possible to work it in and plant it next year. I wish shredding were an option but I have no lawn thus no lawn equipment of any kind (mowers, blowers, vacs, weed eaters, etc..). My father-in-law's mill isn't too far from here and he has a big ole' kubota field mower but it's not like I can load it onto my pickup. They would have to trailer load it and tow it over here and they're very busy so I doubt that will happen anytime soon. Maybe I'll take your advice and focus more of my efforts a smaller area. Thanks guys and gals. Danielle

We have a planned mix of perennials, shrubs, and deep-rooted ornamental grasses on our hill, and as things are slowly maturing it looks great. We are using mostly drought-tolerant natives. We have clumps of Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, Rudbeckia fulgida, Echniacea pupurea, some phlox subulata for early spring color, serviceberry, one eastern redbud, and a couple grey owl juniper. There are a few other perennials I am thinking of adding for early summer color. Basically, my rule is that if it needs anything more than once-a-year cutting back and the occasional hose in the middle of a dry spell, then it does not go there. Anything that isn't hardy enough to make it on its own will just not make it. May I make once suggestion? Seeding a hill is difficult, blankets or not. If you want more hardy perennials mixed in, seed them up in pots and then transplant them when they have established enough root to hold them onto the hill. Right now my coneflower and black-eyed susans are in full bloom and they look fabulous. Our local garden center has a hill that's about 85% shrubs and small trees with some perennials and grasses mixed in, and it looks great. Leave the perennials you have and go ahead and plant the shrubs around them.

You have not said how steep your hill is. You can have very steep hills that do not erode without adding man made structures. The key is to keep every inch of the ground well covered with plants. Usually you will only see bare erosion spots if water is rushing down a specific point. You mentioned the down spouts, but it is not likely that they would cause the whole hill to erode. You might think about grading the flat back yard a bit so that all the water flows down to one point. Then at this one point, create a rock slide using larger rocks so that the water does not move the rocks. In effect you create a water fall but add enough large rocks so that it prevents erosion. the rocks don't have to be too big, just big enough and irregular enough so that they are stable. I have a slope on my property that is very steep - probably drops 10 ft for every 5 ft. It is made up of rock and soil covered with grass/weeds/golden rod. No errosion at all.

Hey, I just got back from Florida (where I have no clue what is or is not native - I just had to look and say "aint that pretty"). Your fence sounds good and if it keeps the deer out then it will be a great addition. Virginia Creeper sounds like a great choice. I haven't had much trouble with it but you probably would not want it right next to a flower bed. Poison ivy is native too but .... you know. There is also a native trumpet vine (supposed to be aggressive), a native wisteria, some native honeysuckles (which I can't tell apart from the invasive honeysuckle vine very easily), a native clematis, a native form of hop vine and some others I'm not remembering. The problem with many native vines is that many have non-native look alikes so you would have to know and trust your source and do a little research. So far I have done very little planting of vines so I am more full of ideas than practical advice.