Agreed, but I was really referring to xeriscaping. Ann 02 and I live in the high mountain deserts. It is a very arid climate but with large amounts of snowfall during a long winter. Still Jul-Sep are blisteringly hot with almost no precip. Wild temperature swings of 40-50deg each day. 100F during the day and a cold 50F at night is normal. So there was, and still sort of might be, a heavy trend toward xeriscaping like you see in AZ and NV. Crushed stone, bark, etc... But in the end we do have enough access to water because of the snow pack that the conditions are good for growing KBG and fescue. Almost everyone I know who decided to go the xeriscape route has begrudgingly ended up going back to a nice KBG lawn in the end. They always find out that the only real advantage to xeriscaping is a lower water bill. Other than that it is actually more work than a nice lawn. Still, they usually wish that the lawn didn't require quite so much nurturing to keep it healthy during the hot months. The ironic thing here about xeriscaping to save water... most people are charged for a minimum water usage and unless we are in a drought, they don't pass that minimum. So xeriscaping increases the maintenance and they get no cost savings.

parafly, Wait!! Have that topsoil tested for PH level. Screened loam often sits in piles and the ph level can drop, lime may be needed, but it won't help much right now. The benefits will show up in a couple months. Without a good PH level, you can add as much nitrogen as you want, the lawn will not be able to benefit from it with poor PH level. Next, topdressing with compost WILL help. It may be fine without it, but the results will be much better if you do use it. The KBG will grow faster, not germinate faster, but grow faster. By top dressing with compost, you will be adding many billions of micro organisms that natualy break down organic matter and provide vital nutrients for the soil and your grass will love it. When I did my 2005 renovation, I had over 60 yards of loam I spread. I then needed another 30 yards, so I bought it from another source close by, although it was more expensive. As it turned out, the guy with the 30 yards added lime, compost, sand, and fertilizer to his loam. The grass took off like crazy in that soil, while it was not doing too much in the other 60 yards until I limed and fertilized with soybean meal and alphalpha pellets the next spring. As for your slope, I guess it depends on how steep. But i would seed first, then roll it in. Adding some straw can help, but I would go with 1/4" of compost instead. So my 2 cents.... - spread loam with rake, thats fine as long as it looks the way you want it. - seed and fertilize with starter fertilizer. Also add an organic fertilizer. That will start working 2-3 weeks from now. Perfect for when the starter fert starts to wear off. You also will be able to stay off the new lawn for a few weeks and good fert will still be working. - Roll the seed and fertilizers in. - topdress with compost, about 1/4 inch. - Water according to BESTLAWN'S schedule. She detailed it perfectly for fall renovations. You may have to adjust to spring by always making sure the soil is moist. Keep it moist until the first or second mowing. Then moisten on the hot days, that heat can kill shallow rooted grass. Remember you still to keep to the regular schedule, but just add a little extra water on the hot days. Good luck and post some pics!

Yes, your walkway should connect the guest parking area to the front door. One step up to the covered front porch should be sufficient. The walkway should be slightly higher than the soil to avoid having guests walking on dirt or mud. I like to offer three spots off the driveway for guest parking. When they leave, they back out of the parking spot and have a clear path back out to the road. Blacktop is less expensive than concrete for a long country driveway and parking area. Allow plenty of space for turning cars or smaller delivery trucks around in front of the garage, or have a circular drive.

Hi, Dan, Photos or plans would indeed be helpful. Absent those, I'll share the general comment that anything below grade--whether it's a crawl space, basement or porch is a potential moisture issue. I'd make sure it's really necessary to drop the elevation before doing so and then only if there is adequate protection in place from water infiltration through masonry or worse yet, flooding from surface water. In making that recommendation I'm discounting the value of a covered koi pond, which would be novel.