We are on a hillside also, but our home is at the top. Previous owners have built block wall and railroad tie terraces. The tie terraces have 3 or 4 ties stacked horizontally, and secured with rebar. Higher terraces have railroad ties stacked vertically, again secured with rebar. The block wall terraces are concreted in. Because our hill drains down, and not to the house, drainage is not a concern like it will be for you. We have a variety of steps here. Some are poured concrete, others railroad ties, others are brick. I like your plan! It's hard for a Southern California girl to recommend plants, but a previous owner planted cascading rosemary and it looks pretty falling over the retaining walls. Surely you have something similar in your zone to get that look? I love the fire pit idea. That's on our list too! Suzi

Thank you for the kind words Krista. Sammie is eating a grape which she enjoys almost as much as bananas. Diane, Sammie is also fond of roses, as are the other squirrels here. They are considered a pest but are actually a vital part of the ecological system, since they form the main source of food for the falcons, hawks and eagles. It would be a disaster if they were to be eradicated. No, I'm not on a drip system for the roses but hand-water, which gives me a chance to study the roses, squash aphids and murder grasshoppers. I also deadhead while I'm watering. Thank you Carol and le jardin, it is so satisfying to read your words of praise. I only hope that all of you who have rose gardens will post pictures; it's one of my greatest joys to see others' gardens and immerse myself in different places with their beautiful roses and other plants. Ingrid

If the deck is "pulling away from the house", that is not a 'fix' - that is a tear down and rebuild!! And sooner rather than later, as it is a safety hazard and could do damage to the house as well. You know what sort of budget you can manage and exactly what your DIY skills are so you need to prioritize your projects based on that. I agree on getting the roof fixed ASAP (that would be priority #1 in my book!) and then look to doing something about redoing the deck. Eyesore or not, the fence can wait awhile :-) Relaying the patio re-using the materials you have on hand is a pretty easy DIY project that should only require some expenditure of effort and some base material (relatively cheap). And just clear out the dead plants from the raised bed. You might appreciate having an area where you can grow some plants that the dogs will not immediately rampage through and that the kids might enjoy. Until you get around to that, just cover it with a layer of mulch to keep the weeds down and have it look tidy.

"... I have always imagined a lot of greenery ..." Installing solid paving is a fascinating way of accomplishing this :-) A few large pots of viney plants, such as the aforementioned morning glory (growing on some string or trellis) would be a reasonably good way of transforming an otherwise barren site into a green one. But the real problem here is grading and drainage. The raised patio is a permanent obstruction to drainage, so long as it exists. It seems to me that in the condo selling market, this would devalue the property. (Actually, I'm surprised the condo association would allow this, especially with the gravel against the fence bottom, keep it wet longer after a rain. This will speed up its deterioration.) The best thing is to fix it while you can enjoy it in a fixed manner, rather than waiting until selling time so that only the new buyer gets to enjoy the fixed condition. I'm not against the paving (since it can be greened with containers and plants) but am against the raised condition which impedes drainage ... and creates a clumsily positioned step in a small space.