Author Talk on Plants for Hellstrips this Saturday!

Join us at the Beltsville store this Saturday (May 313) at 10:30 (2014) to hear top-selling garden writer Evelyn Hadden give plant tips for curb-sides and other tough spots.  Click here to read the highlights of her latest book and leave a comment to win a copy.  The deadline for entries is this Friday night.

To get us in the mood to talk hellstrips, I’ve collected a few from my photo files –  for better or worse.  The worst might be the one on the right above, demonstrating the gardening principle of “wrong plant, wrong place” at work.  How are drivers supposed to get out of their cars? On the left is a more manageable collection of plants – all low except for a well limbed-up cherry.  This combination of Sedum and Beautyberry peaking at the same time gets raves from pedestrians.

Above, an example of the gardening exuberance of Portland, Oregon.  Fortunately, this is a spot where parking isn’t allowed.  Otherwise, this would be another example of wrong plants for the spot.

Above, a little hellstrip along Piney Branch Road in Takoma Park, where the gardener exercised admirable control, using very short plants.  No danger to pedestrians, no blocking of sight lines.

Lastly, another example from a city full of curb gardens – Buffalo.  Again, there’s no parking on this side of the street, so the gardener went crazy, to great effect.

Posted by Susan Harris.