whew

Two people, two shovels.  Plus a bunch of rakes, buckets, wheelbarrows.




Still plenty to do, but somewhere in the last couple of days it started to feel...real.  An idea, a bunch of conversations, some sketches and marking paint on grass, has become pretty much what we pictured.

So this is going to be...a lawn!  We humorously have put veggie gardens on every flat spot in our yard, and were getting really tired of mowing that hill, so we decided we wanted a space for a non-masochistic game of croquet, or to sit around a fire without our chairs tipping over!  Have no fear, that evil grassy slope above will be killed off and planted with....something!

Any thoughts, blogworld?  Here are the requirements:  Low maintenance, and hardy enough to withstand extreme sun and low moisture, while being beaten by a small flock of chickens and a very agile dog.  Usefulness/edibility a plus but not required!

Thoughts so far have been native grasses/small shrubs, or an idyllic mass planting of lavender a la Provence.  We could also add another row (or two) of grape vines, but what would go in between?  We're probably going to be smothering the grass this summer, and have considered a cover crop of wheat, or barley (have I mentioned we have a new beer brewer in the household?)