Hellstrip as a planting bed

turf_toes · by **turf_toes** » September 3rd, 2010, 9:54 pm

This post could have been put in any of the around the yard sub forums. But wanted to share a decent Wall Street Journal article on how folks are increasingly using the hellstrip as a place to experiment with plants (besides grass)

Gardening's Final Frontier: the 'Hellstrip'

Gardeners call it the "hellstrip," that skinny bit of often-neglected grass sandwiched between the street and the sidewalk. Now, some are sprucing it up, transforming it from perennial eye-sore to showpiece.

Homeowners in cities and towns across the country are seeing opportunity in these plots—also called "parkways" or "tree beds." They occupy choice real estate in front of a home, potentially contributing to visitors' first impressions, not to mention a resident's own view beyond the edge of a well-tended lawn.

Even diehard gardeners find, though, the strips of land—surrounded by concrete and asphalt—are subject to challenges including road salt and snowplows, foot and bicycle traffic, sniffing dogs and wayward trash.

Read more at the link below:
Click here for more information

MorpheusPA · by **MorpheusPA** » September 3rd, 2010, 10:13 pm

are subject to challenges including road salt and snowplows, foot and bicycle traffic...

...old women invading your property and tearing out your Darwin Elite tulips by grabbing the flower at the base and yanking the bulb out before she twisted it off and tossed it...

Not a problem I've had since (I think she's scared to enter the neighborhood any longer after I got done with her), but be forewarned that some people think of display gardens as public, and those near sidewalks especially so.

GaryCinChicago · by **GaryCinChicago** » September 3rd, 2010, 10:59 pm

MorpheusPA wrote: but be forewarned that some people think of display gardens as public, and those near sidewalks especially so.

Around here those hellstrips actually are public. The hellstrips are City of Chicago property because of the utility connections underneath. The city can come and plant whatever they deem fitting on their hellsprips, but we as property owner are responsible for its care and maintenance - to a degree. If a tree on the hellstrip needs pruning or removal, the city handles THEIR tree.

JC Paint Workz · by **JC Paint Workz** » November 9th, 2011, 1:39 pm

Yea my neighbor has 3 pear trees that are getting pretty huge. last year they came by and scalped half them off as they were hanging over the street. He was mad, and was telling me about it. He said I was going to have someone come trim them but they just butchered them. Now he's pretty much neglected all of his landscape he has yet to trim any bushes anything around his house and its growning out of control. This is the same neighbor that accused me of spray painting a property line a foot over into his property. Although it was his people that did it, and it wasnt a property line it was utility markings when he called the utility company to come out before Comcast did their services on his house. HAHAHA

xxryu139xx · by **xxryu139xx** » November 9th, 2011, 2:10 pm

ur the neighborhood grass nut. he's the neighborhood nut.

JC Paint Workz · by **JC Paint Workz** » November 9th, 2011, 2:12 pm

sad thing is when we moved in he was very particular about his stuff and kept it nice. and the neighbor on other side oh gosh i dont know if theres any helping them

Hellstrip as a planting bed

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