Easy to build as well as inexpensive, easy to add protection from the wildlife and easy to add cloches for extending the growing season much like the picture below from
It looks basically the same angle slope as my hillside and I like the idea of the clover in the top picture between the boxes too. I probably will do more wood chip mulch in the high traffic areas as well as lots of mulch on the beds to keep the mud down in the winter and hold in the moisture in the summer but the nitrogen fixing clover will be a great addition to areas waiting construction as well as those that are not traveled much. Clovers will also draw in pollinating bees, provide nutrient rich mulch and will not need to be mowed. After researching many ground covers a low growing clover seems to be the best choice for my application.
I also am going to be practicing the no till gardening somewhat like you can see on the documentary film Back to Eden. It just makes sense, and I like common sense ideas. If you haven't watched it I feel it is a must see for any backyard gardener. It would take a lot of hauling of mulch up to the beds to start with but to haul mulch, place it, tend it and never have to till or turn the ground again would in the long run make this lazy gardener very happy!
You can find the Back to Eden film here: http://backtoedenfilm.com/ There are also a lot of interviews with Paul Gautschi, the gardener I really enjoyed listening to on this youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/L2Survive.
I like the Back to Eden style because I am a common sense but rather haphazard and lazy style gardener. I don't like the look of all perfect even rows or the messy permaculture food forest styles either. So I will shoot for somewhere in between and have a CS garden... Common Sense, Cathy Style as easy as I can make it and still get lots of yummy and organic veggies gardening!
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