Alley - Help Please

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me out with idea's. I live in the Denver area. It's dry here so unless something is being watered on a regular basis, you get weeds. Lots of them. My neighborhood is older and we still have alley's here. My problem is the alley. I have a 6 foot wooden fence around my backyard, and city regulations state that there must be 5 feet between a fence and the alley. Basically this leaves me with a 5 foot by 40 foot area that does not get water and generally does nothing but grow weeds. I want to get rid of the weeds, put down a thick layer of weed barrier, but I don't know what to do on top of the weed block. In addition to dry, no water, and weedy, it's on a pretty steep slope. I know I could try rocks or bark, but even with a wood or stone barrier, I suspect it will be a year round job trying to keep the rocks or bark where it belongs.

Any idea's?

Photo?

What will make the rock or bark migrate of the space if no rain washing?

Could you alternate large flagstone with gravel- not mixed- first area of flagstone perhaps 5 x 10 then gravel 5 x 10. ( cut the cost of all flagstone)...then on the flagstone you can set a large colorful tall pot. Perhaps hang a few things on the wood fence just for interest rusted tools or mirrors or some items representative of your region. Or if no intwrest in the pea gravel /flagstone...maybe all gravel (maybe low edging would keep in place) with some landscape boulders placed every now and again.

I'll have to take a photo and post tomorrow. In the meantime, I like the idea of hanging interesting items from the fence. Not sure what might represent our region beyond rock and red sandstone, but something to think about for sure.

Regarding rock and bark migrating down the hill, we do get torrential down pours in the spring and early summer so I'm sure that's part of it. Beyond that I suspect neighborhood dogs, cats, squirrels, and children as well as passing cars/trucks. Many of the houses here have garages accessible only through the alley. During winter months with snow and ice, it's difficult I'm sure for some of the passing cars to actually see where the alley ends and private property begins.

Well I am suffering from regional culture disorder- I grew up in Brooklyn and an alley was an alley. You played ball against the house in the alley (and got a "beatin" for it later!) and the only car on that alley was the family car heading to the garage (IF there was a car and IF the garage wasn't full of everything else BUT a car!)

So you will need some landscape edging or wood ( like a railroad tie) to edge.
What is the economy? Rural? Urban? You might hang local pottery or tools or if a biking community....old road bikes all painted same color head to toe - or just the wheels - you have the visual advantage of length. Even hub caps all painted same color would be visually appealing since it is a roadway...just don't let them be hub caps...paint them all black or similar dramatic color. Consider a bunch of slim empty picture "frames" different sizes (all stained black for drama) - make those yourself and attach to fence lots less money-- use a molding of varying thicknesses and lengths. Make those frames large scale. Very weatherproof and no stealing either. Every now and again if you come across a nice piece of rusted metal...or something you like... Hang it in the frame. The cars going by will love it if you'd hang a cheerful message in an especially large frame (or you can stencil or if you have the talent or a talented buddy -- Paint a message along the fence like Happy Trails to You It just seems that yiu have a hard place to landscape with living things....so keep out the weeds with the fabric and stone and don't landscape but use bold things to set that fence off. Use the length to your advantage.