On which elevation is the residence and how much space on each side. We have made raised gardens with switchback paths which works well for our property and eliminates mowing the slopes. You may view our gardens by clicking on the PictureTrial album on My Page. EP

I'm open to ideas as well. I don't know the degree of slope of our new house, but it is significant. I have in mind to create a dry stream bed running from the gutter downspout at the top of the hill to the gully where water empties at the bottom. In an area around the bottom of the dry stream, I plan to put in plants that need lots of water, maybe even some cress. Our lot is pie shaped with the wide end on the street. I'm going to line each side of the property with trees & shrubs the birds favor and incorporate some of the spiny ones, like japonica and pyracanta, to discourage the possibility of kids running through the property. I figured with the dry stream bed, I'd be working with the environment instead of against it. I hope some day to build a little bridge over the stream bed. (Writing in Central Va. with 5" of snow on the ground, and sleet/snow mix coming down.)
Do y'all think that sounds workable?

Kinseeker, yes, that sounds workable. We created a dry stream bed to catch the runoff from rain. We just did it last summer so hasn't really been put through the test yet. It is rather small but can drain into an area below. Our property is more or less like a lopsided fan with the pointed end, on the higher elevation,similar to your description, then the house, the terraces, an area of grass and then the woods which fan out through the lower elevation. Besides the shrubbery the upper area is enclosed by chain link fence. We had the good fortune of having some pre existing raised garden spaces but we put in steps and switchback paths. To add to the gardens, we piled all savable organic discards along the bases of the walls and built more garden areas over it. It saves mowing on the inclining slope. Hope everyone will give us feed back. EP