I'm also wondering what I could do to cover up the box in the far corner (it is green).

THere is a little island of soil there that is backed by the Fence to the South, split rail fence to the west and then landlocked by cobles on the north and west ...

I had thought maybe a butterfly bush over there.

Or possible some lilacs ... or a weeping sometihng ... to kind of cover it up year-round.

Could you plant those creeping junipers, like Blue Prince, Motherlode, Icee Blue, and similar, that would be planted in the mulch but send runners across the rocks? There is a yard in my area that is all gravel with one such plant in the middle, and it looks spectacular.

You could prune off what grows toward the yard, and it would just grow across the rocks. The foliage debris might plug up the rocks a bit, I guess, but wind will blow stuff onto them in due course anyway - If you clear it, I suspect the juniper cover would keep more organic stuff off it than it would add.

karinL

Instead of a butterfly bush why don't you check out potentilla, I prefer Kay Dykes. With yellow bloom all summer it will take your focus away, the other colors aren't as hardy, except maybe white which you don't need. Visit Alameda Wholesale to see what they sell. Only wholesale. On Dartmouth just east of Federal. Their selection will blow your mind away that you won't find in retail or a big box.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

Here's a link that is better suited for your landscape issues.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: GW landscape design

What's the other patch of stone in the foreground of the picture? Is the mulch strip the only planting area? Any way to get a wider shot - from an upstairs window, perhaps showing what's off to the left?

So can I buy from a wholesale place? Sounds interesting ... do this also sell trees?

I like the ideas of stuff growing out over the rocks, but hesitant to do it ... because this is technically an area I'm not supposed to block in any way.

This area was all flooded in 2006 and was restored in a drainage project. There is an inlet back behind my property and the pipes are way under my yard (not directly under the swale). The above ground swale is a backup drainage system. Both 100 year rated systems.

The rock in the foreground is local rhyolite ... I have tons of it surrounding my house ... and I like it because it is a local rock and different from all other boring river rock every else has. It is kind of pink-ish in color.

I'm currently leaving all the rocky areas next to house alone.

I'm just focusing in the thread on how to best transition to this rocky area and how to hide that green box year-round, if possible.

Yes, if you have a tax I.D. number, they have done it before. They have everything and more what local garden centers have because they sell to the landscaping trade. 3" caliber trees and up. Since the culvert is underground why are they stating that you cannot plant in the rocks? Yes, they do have some interesting rock in CO. I prefer rock from Cripple Creek.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

For hiding the green box, I'd recommend some evergreen shrubs; not too many that will be suited to the climate, but Pinus mugo (Mountain Pine) would do well there.

Resin

Thanks, I was thinking about mugo pine ... and they are readily available everywhere.

Well, the city views this as two different 100 year flood control systems. One is below ground and the other is above ground. Both are 100 year spec'd ... and in fact the about ground is twice as deep as the 100 year flow requires.

The cobble shown is a little misleading ... its over a foot deep in stone ... and then there is an industrial liner under it all which is about 1/2" thick and really tough looking. You can see the bottom or get to any soil ... its really a liner with a tons of rocks over it. I think what your looking it was 3 or 4 full length semi trucks of cobble. The underground pipe is around 12-15' underground.

The green box is a cable TV access box, not power. There is a power main that goes under everything ... but they carefully placed the underground pipes under it.

Do you think a blue shag pinus strobus would work good in this area (to cover the box) ?

The right Mugos would stay in scale longer. Blue shag would eventually get fairly large.

tj

I guess it must be in my nature to push boundaries. If this were in my yard I would keep wondering what I could do in this area. It crossed my mind that if you could put some 2 foot square concrete pavers out there you could create usable space - and it wouldn't impede the flow of water at all, though they might get carried away in a flood and maybe damage something downstream, depending what is there.

If you truly can't do anything with it, maybe it would be an option to just fence it off with a really nice fence that is a pleasure to look at and plant against.

KarinL

I appreciate all the help and ideas I can get.

My yard is huge by Colorado standards ... so I really don't need to utilize this area of rocks for anything to have a nice backyard.

Being a utility easement and containing both a water main (to an uphill street) and an underground and above-ground drainage system ... this easement could be mean the removal of anything I put in it, if any of these systems needs repair or maintenance.

Technically, I own the land still ... but its not real usable to me. I was just hoping to soften the border transition a bit.

A fence would probably be an option ... but would probably cost me $1000 to add.

To be honest, it's kind of growing on me ... and I'm getting used to it. If the transition was a little softer, I think I'd like it even better.