I just wanted to comment on this great thread.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
I concur that craigslist has been an excellent resource for many of my gardening and landscaping supplies. Rocks, dirt and railroad ties for nothing but the cost of gas to pick'm up.
I live in a fairly decent park in Portland OR, and the entire lot is sand, so lots of dirt has been introduced to any landscaping. If I don't do that, plants struggle or just give up. Even plain fill dirt is fine, as it helps change the consistancy of the substrate.
I have a double-wide (1970 Vardo -- incidentally I've found little info on the model, good quality home for its production year), yet enough room on the lot for a vegetable garden. Using railroad ties as a retaining ledge, I cleared an 8' by 24' space of all the pitiful but deep rooted grass, and mixed in countless bags of garden soil, manure, compost and fill dirt. (Tip: if you have a Home Depot in your area, get there as soon as they open and head to the lumber area. They occasionally have pallets of broken bags of typical garden/landscape supplies for $20! I've gotten everything from steer manure to color-treated mulch, and garden soil to polished river rocks).
This is the second year for the vegetable garden, and we added more bagged garden soil and steer manure. Yield is higher so far, and several neighbors have commented on the idea, and say they might try the same.
I also used ties to border our yard from the sidewalk, so there is less maintenance in keeping our area of the sidewalk 'neat and tidy'.
Finally, as all lots in my park do, we have an ancient flowering cherry tree in the very front. For two years I agonized and wasted energy trying to make the base of it look less bare (because of the sand and huge root system, it was extremely difficult to work with). So, after having a truly DUH moment, I decided to cover the base with light blocking plastic, surround it with huge rocks brought home via craigslist, fill it with good soil and plant with hardy perenials. Time will tell what will grow well and what won't.
Anyway, new to the site and forums and I'm really enjoying the ideas, collaboration and information. I'm sure to use this as a popular resource for our remodel and hope to be able to add to the site, too.