Gravel or landscaping rock - it generally boils down to one's idea of a good thing becoming someone else's nightmare. If they're fairly new, haven't settled in and buried themselves, I'd make an attempt at raking a section of them up since you'd like to do some gardening. The rocks are not likely to prevent weeds. Failing that, many things could be planted just by digging holes down past the rock - a sort of rock garden, a garden with rock mulch. For an experiment on the inexpensive side, the big box stores like Home depot, Lowes, Wal-mart generally have seasonal garden centers with all kinds of things you could use - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry, kinnikinnick) is a nice ground creeper with pink-y flowers in early summer and red berries later. Juniperus horizontalis (Creeping juniper) is a good filler and can spill over edges. There are low growing sedums, phlox subulata, artemisia schmidtiana "Silver Mound", as well as other easy care/no care perennials... and there are always the annuals for instantly gratifying a need for space filling color. If truly temporary digs, I wouldn't make a big investment, but would at least give myself something pleasant to look at and be out in.

The best thing I ever did for my yard after moving in to a house where it had had heavy chemical applications was to apply a layer of good compost. For you, size will add cost. You need about a yard per thousand square feet, so 22 yards of compost. Mine ran 30 dollars a yard. That is 660 for cost. Next problem, that is about 2 dump truck fulls. Then you have to put it out. If you don't have someone with an agricultural type spreader (manure spreader) that would be a lot of work. I did 8 yards one a weekend and it was a lot. Then you probably need a more shade tolerant grass. Some have reported Shadow Turf developed at Texas Tech, would be good in your area. It has to be sprigged in. But, again, the size you have will result in substantial costs. You might see if someone else knows of some grass you can grow from seed in your area that would be better in the shade to try to use. If you do do the compost, all you would need from there is three or four applications of some "meal" as an organic fertilizer per year (at 20 lbs per thousand sq ft). Cottonseed meal, soybean meal, alfalfa meal are all good choices and pretty cheap.

Hi Juju, I've only been to Phoenix a few times, but I'd say yes. I first read on AZ gardening, then Tucson-specific gardening and then got those booklets from the Phoenix Water people - All seem to say the same things. If you were moving to a higher elevation in AZ, things would be different, but from what I remember of the weather (oppressive heat), the main parts of Phoenix were very similar to where I live in Tucson. You might have problems with plants that are on the border of a "zone" ... I'm not sure about that. We had a frost here last year that killed some cacti and other things, but other than covering things you know are "tender" for a couple of weeks - paying attention to plants' highest zone number seems most important here in the desert. To tell you the truth, most of what I've paid attention to when researching plants is the amount of sun and heat they can take, and how much water they need. Realizing this came only after much denial and losing many plants. Oh, and you *absolutely must* plant most things in fall. If you remember nothing else, remember that! I tried to plant in the spring a couple of times and nothing survived. Including the native plants. At first I tried planting stuff I'd loved when in CA and NY - Don't do it! Unless they are succulents or cacti :D What's great about the book and sites I mentioned is you can see there are gorgeous plants that smell good, will feed birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, and they will actually *thrive* here. They might not be what you are used to, but change can be a good thing. Of course, a gifted gardener could probably get many things to grow which I cannot... but after losing so many plants over the years I'm always looking for the prettiest plants that take the least amount of effort and water :) Most of the plants here have to deal with full, *blazing* sun, which has to be similar to most of Phoenix. It's been a pain changing my mindset and learning all this new stuff which is usually the exact opposite of anywhere else I've lived. Happily, more plants survive now because of all the time spent researching and because I can now pry myself away from all the plants I love (but won't survive here) that bigbox stores and a lot of nurseries carry. If you have a hard time leaving your favorite plants behind at a nursery, make sure you bring a list of plants that will do well here - AND STICK TO IT! That's the hardest part :P Good luck!

Alfalfa: Weak feed at around 2-1-2. 100% slow release. Contains some root growth hormones, but you really shouldn't overdo those (it seems to have far less negative impact on Bermuda). To apply 1 pound of nitrogen equivalent requires 50 pounds per thousand square feet. Milorganite: Moderate feed at 5-2-0. Contains up to 40% fast release nitrogen, at minimum 60% slow release. Also contains 4% iron for greening the lawn. To apply 1 pound of nitrogen equivalent requires 20 pounds per thousand square feet. I know you didn't ask, but: Soybean meal/Cottonseed meal: Stronger feed at 7-1-2 or so. 100% slow release. No other effects. Tends to be the cheapest choice in terms of cost per pound of protein/nitrogen. To apply 1 pound of nitrogen equivalent requires 15 pounds per thousand square feet. Corn meal/Cracked corn: Very weak feed at 1.7-0.7-0.5. Provides weak to moderate fungal protection. Excellent soil conditioner due to the ability to pour it on without it smelling much as it decays. Not generally used as a primary feeding. To apply 1 pound of nitrogen equivalent requires 60 pounds per thousand square feet.