You can still put a garden there instead of sod. You would have to add compost in there or garden soil plus humus or aged manure. As far as sun and heat tolerant plants, I have had success with lantana, knockout roses, black eyed susan, daylillies. If you will be able to and will regularly water, you can plant most any sun loving perennial and annuals.

That is a beautiful wall. Rosemary would look lovely spilling over it.

Lorna

I saw a concrete retaining wall by a business and they had a row of Russian Sage spilling over the top and it looked fantastic. They love hot and dry and spread a lot. They could be a foundation plant with others added.

Sharon, please don't be discouraged. Be ENCOURAGED! Your space is just perfect for a lovely garden.

The topsoil around our house and the outer slope was scraped away by the big equipment when our house was built. That's just what contractors do to land. Our slope outside our fence looked almost exactly like yours when we moved into the house in 2005. We tried grass unsuccessfully, so we turned the eyesore into a garden.

Check around for a company that carries GOOD, CLEAN garden soil (not topsoil) by the dump truck load and will deliver. It wasn't that expensive, around $175 per load (before gas prices were so high). We used 3 double-dump truck loads because we were going all the way around the outside of our fence and to the fragrance garden. You probably just need 1 regular dump truck load (or less).

Just dump the mound of garden soil on top and below that wall so that you have a good 4-8 inches when it is spread out. Then, when you dig a hole, mix in the good stuff. Plant Tone (organic) is the only fertilizer that I use.

Cameron

Here's my story in photos:

August 2005:
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June 2006 (1 year after construction):

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June 2007, after the garden soil and some plantings:

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This morning, June 8, 2008:

Win/win situation: once the topsoil is in place with the thickest topsoil toward the wall and verrrrry thin next to the driveway, you let him plant a 4' border of sod along the driveway with a mow strip of brick or concrete next to the flower bed.

Bath's pink is nice atop a wall, but you may have to frequently root new plants to replace the ones that die out in the humidity. Ornamental oregano would work -- Bluestone still has that on sale.

Nell

Oh thank you all for your encouragement! I will print out your responses and inspiring photographs to share with my husband. We do have a place that we purchase dumploads of mushroom compost soil from. I just thought that we would have to dig out that clay to get some more depth. It really only takes 8 inches of good soil depth?

Cameron, you are the reason I purchased Plant Tone a few weeks ago. I started adding it to every new planting. I would love to get your very specific tips on how you use it throughout your beautiful garden.

Louisianagal, I can just picture that area filled with beautiful sunloving perennials! Lorna, I think I'll definitely try a little trailing rosemary at the top. Gldno, I'll check into the Russian Sage. I don't have that one in my garden. Nell, you're describing just how I envisioned it...I just thought it was impossible because of that horrible concrete-hard Alabama red clay! I think I'll try to convince my husband to have a go at it before he slaps sod down. :) Thanks to all of you for your excellent advice.

Have you ever noticed on the interstate that trees will seed themselves on those red clay banks where it looks as if nothing would grow? Red clay is full of iron and other minerals. The worst thing you can do is to dig in it when it's wet. The second worse thing to do is add sand = concrete-hard dirt.

Loads of mushroom compost = good thing. Once compost is deep and there's pine straw over the top of that, the microbes and earthworms will Do their Thang. I'm always amazed to rake back chopped leaves and pine straw and find that my sandpile has turned to chocolate cake in just a season.

Nell

So here's another question, Nell and others. Do you think I should bring in the mushroom compost soil, rake it over the bed area, cover it with pine straw and wait till next spring to start planting or is it good to go once I've brought in the 4 to 8 inches of good stuff? Part of me thinks it's too hot now to start a bed in sun all day. Hmmmm. Thoughts?

I like the idea of a garden there myself. Just put in lots of amendments into your soil. I think it would be beautiful. Also, your DH did a great job on the wall

Look at the ornamental grasses thread for some inspirations for above the wall. There are some gorgeous combinations with perennials from so many of the folks here.

Given Cameron's pictures of her ice plants, I'd plant those to spill over the wall. I also like her idea of incorporating some grasses.

Mary

It's too hot to plant right now, but a good time to start getting the beds ready if you can bear the heat.
Some things will prefer fall planting, if the drought ever ends.

If you can find baled wheat straw, you could put that down over the area where you'll put grass sod later.
Sow annual rye grass in the fall, which will enrich the soil and die next spring or can be tilled under for green manure.
You'll have a preview of how sodded grass will look.

Nell

Thank you all for your excellent advice! I'm so excited about this project now.

How can you grow wrong with such a nice wall...good job!

I can see some sort of centrepiece in the lower garden bed .. a large urn/pot, bird bath or the like perhaps...with some stepping stones or a path to it, which would make it easier to get to the beds either side when you need to work in them

Traceyc, thank you for that thought. I really like that idea.