try artificial grass; you can get a rebate in a lot of So Cal and the quality is really great and real looking, Plus no H2O

jbrdel99 I thought of that but am so afraid of it looking fake! They're out of rebates here but I'd still do it if nobody could tell the difference!

Does the HOA specify that you have to have grass or are groundcovers ok? I'd go for drought resistant freeway daisies (the yellow or white kinds) or sedum.

no they don't specify but I"m sure they're as upset about our lawn as we are! thanks!

Lawns are water hogs and you really need very little to give the "green carpet" look. Think of it like an area rug for the yard. Reduce the lawn to the areas that you can easily see are the most hardy. Make the rest in to landscaped areas that meld with what the HOA has planted. Top dress with DCG or bark. On the slope you could use ground cover rosemary, carpet rose or another type of low growing and spreading shrub.

I'd plant sunroses there. They are a low water plant once established. The proper name is Helianthemum. Due to the slope I would hand water for the first warm season, or buy a soaker hose.

Another plant to consider is the ground hugging type of Manzanita. Just be sure to buy one that is ok to grow inland.

I also like prostrate Cotoneaster. Perhaps make a bed of prostrate shrubs and plant a row of sunroses in front of them.

Sorry, I forgot the photo

starnold, i love bark but it seems to get weathered looking so quickly and seems to cost more than watering a lawn! Am I crazy?

vstavay what a cool program!!! Wow that is awesome. Thank you for that!

:-)

A full-on rock garden with drought tolerant (Xeriscape) plants such as succulents and grasses.

Hopkins-Rees, Bainbridge Island, WA · More Info

Rock Garden · More Info

Landscape · More Info

Succulent Gardens · More Info

Planting on slope or hill- http://www.midwestgardentips.com/planting_on_a_slope.html

Mulch at the edge of the pavement is a good idea (vstavay) but can be high maintenance.

Another idea is adding the fabric that is intended to block plant growth entirely covered by small white stone.

You need to know what is and is not permitted before doing anything more than planting grass because there may well be a rule that requires everything above grass level to be cut x number of feet back from the pavement; and, if so, replanting anything within that space will be a waste of money.

If there are no utilities buried beneath that space, consider leveling an area 2.5 feet -- or your own mower width -- back from the road/curb pavement parallel to the road, throwing the dirt up the hill as you do.

You could then use the seed for the most hard to kill grass you can find to plant in that leveled space. If you keep that strip of grass neatly mowed and don't add anything above it within the right of way that might impede visibility then, hopefully, those tasked with maintaining the right of way will see a neatly mowed strip of grass beside the road and not make more work for themselves.

You could then use rows of this product or a similar one for replanting grass on the slope above the level space, including on your slope, perhaps adding a row of low bushes or groundcover in between but only if you know they're not required to be cut.

http://www.amleo.com/curlex-i-blanket-single-net-up-to-151-slope-green/p/VP-DC1B/?kc=amlshop16n,&mkwid=sZP15IXcx|dc&pcrid=51228668872&pkw=&pmt=&plc=&gclid=CJuLmuHx8csCFVAjgQodt7oFEg

Most code set back from the outside of the curb in SoCal is 10'. You can apply for a variance thru your city council if you don;t have all of the 10'. You may consider a retaining wall around the curve? It wouldn't have to be that high; maybe 1-2'. Check with your city code office, That would allow you all sort of structural and design choices.

jbrdel99 thank you, I thought of that last night! I think it would be so lovely but wonder the cost... would it look weird to have a retaining wall just on the "left," parallel to the row of privets - I like the idea of it going around the curve but where could I end it? It's a very long distance (where the photo cuts off at the right, it still goes quite a ways more)...

1st see if your if your city would approve the stackable (some are interlocking and some are not) decorative blocks) these usually do not require a concrete footing; depending upon what there going to hold back. All - most of them require is some sort of leveling (and not an exact scientific thing). Most are made of cast concrete and resemble sump stone; most are made to be able to go around curves. The backs angle in smaller than the front face. They are attractive, homeowner easy to install, not messy, and most have natural looking colors. Lowe's or Home Depots usually have displays of them in their garden areas. I built a raised patio of them for our family get togethers about 9 years ago and the grandchildren haven't begun to win yet. I'll see is I can get a picture on here for you. (My Iphone seems to be dead,) so maybe a photo later. I did back butter and grout the top lines with colored cement to give a little strength. Maybe end in the wall when the grade starts to rise with 90% turn of blocks into the bank coming down. Good Luck!