pic?

Liz, slope landscapes are both a wonderful and nightmarish challenge depending on how you approach them. If you are going to put larger trees, which I would reccommend, you should level off the area where the trees will be planted so the base of the tree is level and not on a slope. You can dig right into the hillside to do this, and put up a retaining wall in a half moon shape behind the tree to prevent dirt from washing over the roots too much. use a decorative stone, and it turns into a focal point.
You can use a myriad of colder weather conifers or evergreens with large stones for a "colorado style" woodland appearance. There are also plenty of groundcovers you can use to hold ground. Create planting pockets near the large boulders for seasonal color or creeping shrubbery like Contoneaster or vinca. The stones can be treated with the moss and buttermilk solution blended together to give them a weathered and time-elapsed effect. You might even put a small stream in with waterfalls in a pondless water feature for sound and visual effect. If you plan to hirt it done, check references for your contractors and landscape designer. If they get defensiveupon your request, dodge them and go with another company. I hope this helps.
Joe

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the tips! Very helpful...this is a final picture of what the slope looked like going into the winter (taken in october i believe). As a newbie, I am very excited to see what happens in the spring (which is right around the corner)...thanks again!

Liz

forgot that you cant just upload without using tinypic!

LOVELY!!! Inspiring! Are you planting moss/creeping tyme around the pathway stones? This will be lovely as it matures! Good Job!