Boulevards and Hellstrips

Jim Edminster

Chicago’s Fairy Gardener

  Whether you call that strip of land in front of your house between the curb and your front gate a parkway (as they do in Chicago) or a verge or a hellstrip or just curb plantings there are things to consider if you want to alter this area with plants or decorative items:

 

Some things you SHOULD do: 

A)  Find out who this land belongs to.  In Chicago, for instance, it belongs to the city.  (This fact may change what you want to do to it.)

B)  Is there an agency in your town which will tell you of buried sewer lines or phone, water, gas or electric lines in this area?  You don't want to damage these lines or put an expensive plant in a place where it might soon be removed.  (In Chicago this agency is called "Digger:  Chicago Utility Alert Network.")

C)  Figure out whether you have sun or shade in the area - you'll need this info later down the page.

D)  When planning what to do, leave a foot and a half of free space curb-side.  Car doors have to be able to be opened - put nothing in their way.  (Put plants there & they'll be stepped on.)  If you can brick this area or use broken concrete or pavers - don't put grass in - it has to be mowed then.

E)  Plan to use plants of as low maintenance as possible.  No prima donnas please or you'll be sorry (& over-worked).

F)  Depending how wide your property is you need to leave a sidewalk width somewhere to provide access to the street.  (For taxis, moving vans, deliveries, etc.)

Some things you SHOULDN'T do: 

A)  Some places like Chicago don't much care if you plant the parkway but they very much care what you plant.  Don't plant messy trees like catalpas.  Don't plant fruit trees - apples falling on the street are not a good idea.  Ditto nut trees.  (You possibly could plant trees with small berries that stay on the tree for birds.)  NO thorn-bearing bushes or trees - this is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.  (Yes, this includes roses.)  No large showy single flowers like iris or peonies - they're not dangerous but they are eminently pickable (& they will be!)

B)  If trees are already present do not bury their roots and lower trunks with dirt.  This is a good way to smother them.

C)  If there are visible tree roots there do not cut large ones.

D)  Some folks like to put sculptures and the like in the parkway.  Small cute stone kittens and/or colorful glass gazing balls = gone in three days.  If you have a (large) group of friends who want to help you wrestle a 300 pound stone Foo dog into place out there go for it!

E)  Veggies out in this area are not a good idea - they can be stolen & they are highly likely to be polluted by gas fumes & road salt.

Some things you MIGHT consider:

A)  If it is possible, raise the bed by several courses of brick or railroad ties.  You could put the bricks all the way around or let the bed slope down toward the sidewalk.  (If you do the second you might want to put a small fence in front.)

B)  If you have big tree roots you can dig pockets between them to plant hostas & the like.

C)  Ivies can be planted which will cover tree roots.  Neither will hurt the other.

D)  Plant flowers with many small flowers like coreopsis or asters or salvia.  These are not as likely to be picked.

E)  Small bulbs (which can be planted in sun or shade) like miniature iris, crocus, species tulips, and small daffodils are also unlikely to be picked.