(I used to want to do a whole
permaculture design for my property....the last few years my mind has been completely scattered as to what to do about pretty much everything really, so I haven't done it, & I don't know if I will be in the right headspace anytime soon to do one either! I need small manageable projects these days that don't seem too big)
I have a reasonably gentle slope (not too taxing to walk up, unless, perhaps, you have chronic fatigue like me! - sorry don't know the exact slope) with a gravel driveway running basically south-north, and a large (almost 6.5 feet wide on top) mound next to it on the east side (southern hemisphere). It's roughly 5 m from the side of the driveway to the other side of the mound. This area gets late shade, more so in winter & near the bottom of the hill.
Yearly rainfall is > 39 inches/year but with at least a couple dry months in summer. Soil's got clay, not too much. Well draining. Sun is quite hot in summer & some
trees struggle with it (at least when young in pots!)
I'm trying to think of appropriate trees or shrubs to plant here, either on the mound or slightly off on the side away from the driveway. Or lower things that would spread well on the mound but aren't going to be a hassle spreading into the pasture where I don't want it.
Would weeping willows planted 5m away from the gravel driveway cause any
root issues in 20 or more years time?! Wouldn't mind putting a couple of those near the bottom of the slope, where the mound curves around and there may be a damp spot in winter. It's unlikely there will be any
irrigation other than the occasional hand watering.
For the most part I probably want to stick to 5m or lower so the other side of the driveway isn't shaded too long in the morning, as that also gets shade in the afternoon....
