Yep! Those are all on my list. I'm hoping heavy woodchip mulching can get me enough water retention to keep trees happy (we certainly get plenty of water the

Yep! Those are all on my list. I'm hoping heavy woodchip mulching can get me enough water retention to keep trees happy (we certainly get plenty of water the other ~9 months of the year!), but some supplemental water during the hot dry summer would probably significantly expand species and variety options. Have a small well that should be able to help some... but looking at permaculture techniques (hugelkulture, swales etc) and possibly moisture farming as a potential way to improve moisture conditions in a 'greener' way then energy intensive pumping. Might try to build a pond high up on the hill to filter down over the dry season. Kind of a paradoxical region, because plants want lots of water when there's lots of sun, and here we generally get one or the other :-/