Our Crazy New Landscaping Project

When my husband, Wayne, and I signed papers to buy property and build a house, some thirty-odd years ago, thank goodness we were young and foolish.  We had no idea what it would take to landscape almost an acre of land. A large part of our property was a fairly steep hill leading up to a neighbor's land. Another strange area, which we called the "back forty,"was a barren strip of land separating our property from another neighbor. 

At first we did make several futile attempts to landscape both areas. Desert Willow trees went into the back forty but received almost no water or attention through the years.  Weeds successfully claimed the area. When the weeds grew so embarrassingly tall that we could see them over the back fence, we hired someone at great expense to chop them down.

The few native plants located on the hill, too far from a water source, soon perished. I did succeed in transplanting two small Palo Verde trees, volunteers from their parent trees in the front yard.  And I also bought and transplanted a rather expensiive Desert Spoon, not realizing it was the same plant as the Sotol plants that proliferate on the property.  

Fast forward to the present. We frequently discussed the fact that the hill and back forty were problem areas that added nothing to our lives.  I'm not sure how the idea of building a walking trail  originated, but one day we made our way up the hill and around to the back forty.  Shady areas, blooming native plants, interesting rocks, and fallen, twisted tree limbs greeted us. We were pleasantly surprised.

I thought a trail had to be perfectly laid out with small stones on either side to guide the traveler, an enormous undertaking. So I thought our dream of a trail would remain a dream. But one day Wayne took a rake, marked out a trail, and started building wooden steps to climb up and down the hill. 

We cleared away the worst of the brush so the trail could wind through the palo verde trees, now grown to great heights.

The Desert Willows were in bloom in the back forty as well as a colorful wild lantana plant that had miraculously survived on its own through the years.

Now an early morning walk on the trail is a calming way to start the day.

Trailhead

Up the hill

Through the palo verde "forest"

Around to the willows in the back forty

What our trail was lacking was a special name.  Wayne suggested "Santa Fe Trail."  He had recently had an opportunity to view part of the original Santa Fe Trail at an annual conference of the National Stage Coach and Freight Wagon Association held in Tubac, Arizona.  One of the presenters shared an old map of the area with a group of diners.

Conference Lunch

The map depicted the original trail passing just a few hundred yards from where they were sitting.  Wayne joined a small group to explore the area. The centuries old trail was still visible, complete with artifacts like pottery shards.  Wayne returned to the table, visibly impressed with his peak into the past.

Our trail can now be comfortably walked, although I do take a walking stick for the climb up and down the hill.  I planted one desert marigold beside the trail, which is clinging to life, and a Texas sage which has given up the ghost.  Wayne leans toward a wild, untamed look for the trail.  I can see in my mind's eye clumps of wildflowers or seasonal bulbs to admire on an early morning stroll.  And Wayne is cleaning out his garage, so the trail may be receiving some modern-day artifacts.  Will future trail walkers find as much to delight them on the trail as we do?