The house that I am living in is quite small – less than 700 square feet. The yard; however, is large in comparison and has so much potential. Part of the reason for this is that it sits on a corner lot so that two sides are bordered with a strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. There are many names for this strip – hell strip, boulevard, verge – depending on where you live. While these areas are owned by the local municipality, it is generally the homeowner who is responsible for mowing and maintaining it. Most of the time they are unkempt, useless spaces where foot traffic has compacted the soil. Not being a fan of grass, which offers nothing to wildlife, my mind is at work imagining the possibilities for this large waste of space.
The hell strips, apply named, are a problem area because they are sandwiched between the concrete sidewalk and the asphalt road, both which absorb a lot of heat. This makes it suitable for only the most heat and drought tolerant plants. Another problem is that during winter, snow plows often heap them with snow, along with debris from the street. Homeowners sprinkle salt and other snow melting chemicals on the sidewalks, that frequently get over sprayed onto the verge. When people water their lawns, they often neglect the already unsightly weedy strip. Passersby disrespectfully toss cigarette butts, gum, and trash onto the area, or they allow their dog to defecate there and do not bother to clean up after it.
The purpose for these grassy strips is so that at some future point in time, should the road need to be widened, the strip can be removed. So while imagining possibilities, I must take into account that anything I plant in the strips is subject to abuse. I am thinking of planting trees, to create a windbreak, since the grassy strips here are situated on the same sides as the prevailing winds. The streets are already wider than most, so I don’t see them being widened in the foreseeable future. Perhaps MoonglowⓇ or Wichita BlueⓇ upright junipers interspersed with Russian sage shrubs would look lovely and provide privacy. I love the idea of fruit trees that could bestow their offerings to people walking past them on their daily walks. Possibly, I could fill the areas with expansive pumpkins, squash, or watermelons – enough for the entire neighborhood. I must bear in mind though, that this is a brutal climate. What the wind does not decimate, the hail from sudden torrential storms in summer, can bring instant death to a garden that has been lovingly tended for weeks or even months. Clearly, planting in the grassy strips is a high stakes gamble, but life itself is a risky undertaking. What have I got to lose? Read my answers in tomorrow’s blog.
