sweetgum , liquid amber unwanted tress that refuse to "leave"

well removal  is not for now... its roots traverse nearly 25 feet of lawn. I want to xeriscape lawn.... plant groundcovers around the roots? should never cover the roots with more than 1/4 inch soil per year, could kill tree- oh wouldn't that be soooo sad! ha.

anyways, groundcovers?:
The simplest solution is to replace the grass with mulch or a ground cover such as goldenstar (Chrysogonum virginianum), barrenwort (Epimedium), creeping lily-turf (Liriope spicata), Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens), Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), creeping myrtle (Vinca minor), or barren strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata).

more landscape design .. obsessing finally a hill solution

http://www.robsteinergardens.com/gardens_main.htm

modern landscaping ideas

http://www.houzz.com/photos/professionals/1962/Blasen-Landscape-Architecture/start=80

see flickr , plastolux has great Modern Landscaping - by Thuilot Associates in pool set of modern landscaping

tags modern, landscaping, garden

plants for south hillside erosion control groundcovers:
books:WATER CONSERVING PLANTS FOR THE BAY AREA, published by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD).
plants/trees for top of south hill erosion xeriscape/shade:Acacia, desert willow, chitalpa (30 ft. eventually)and palo verde.

PERENNIAL GROUND COVERS is a superb book by David S. MacKenzie and is published by Timber Press. It is full of practical information, easy to read, contains excellent advice to get started, has 315 beautiful colored photographs, excellent ground cover descriptions and selection charts.

majestic beauty fruitless olive: no fruit, slow growing tall tree , likes sun, dry.
plant with:Companion Plants
A Mediterranean inspired design would combine Majestic Beauty with Rosemary, Lavender, Rock Rose, Fig, Grape, Pomegranate, Sea Lavender, Jerusalem Sage, Chaste Tree and Italian Cypress. For a modern look, combine with the architectural look of New Zealand Flax, Yucca, Cordyline, Agava and a variety of other tender succulents.

fruiting pomegranate: for soun backhillside corners? Companion Plants
As part of the edible garden, use Variegated Calamondin Orange (Citrus reticulata 'Calamondin Variegata') as a companion. Contrast the orange-red blooms with the purple-blue exotic flowers of a Passion Vine (Passiflora pfordtii) or the white fragrant flowers of Chilean Jasmine (Mandevilla laxa).

nice use of color, limityed palette plantings

look at thomasfj's pics/photostream on flickr # 152- 154 eichler set for lanscaping idea

landscaping ideas front face

so we have a big ugly sloping yard of unhappy summertime grass needing far too much water and care for my taste.Besides afterall, who wants to stand outside in their front yard caring for grass when the backyard is SO much more inviting- and we ARE all antisocial eichler owners who live in walled off boxes unless invited over for drinks around here... ha. Really, their is too much street traffic to picture the front face as anything but a first appearance/ entrance and it just needs some simple feng shui and xeriscaping. The old sweetgum is really messy, prickly and gnarled, roots climbing over all the grass, tripping innocent passerbys soon and unfortunatley- has made desigjns on our sewer lateral. Tree guys want alot to remove it. uckk. so, after all the contemplating, I will probably remove it... but I need a tall fast growing full shade providing tree for a south facing front in need of lots of shade- hmmm. ( and one that won't get the sewer again) I am stuck here. any ideas anyone?