Your hellstrip probably sucks. That strip of land that lies between your front sidewalk and the street is likely not your property, but still your responsibility. Hence the name: hellstrip.
The name “hellstrip” is well deserved—but the patch of grass that lives between your sidewalk and the curb is also called a “verge,” “devil strip,” or “tree lawn.” Most people find the the soil highly compacted, a result of all the utilities that have been laid under it and years of neglect. People frequently walk on it, wandering off the sidewalk or walking across it as they park on the street. It usually doesn’t have drip or irrigation run to it, even though it might house your water meter. It rarely has the protection of shade, so it’s highly exposed to baking in the sun. It might also have telephone poles. It’s likely been peed and pooped on by every dog in the vicinity.
Why you should care about your hellstrip
Hellstrips are usually found in cities, where garden space is at a premium. It’s free garden space for the taking: While cities will require access to the utilities underneath, you can still garden on it.
People also have to be able to access the sidewalk from the street, so planning for walkways or walkability is important. You can’t prohibit access to the sidewalk itself.
And finally, your hellstrip is part of the view of your home and impacts your curb appeal as a whole. You could just continue your landscaping from your front yard for an edge-to-edge finish, but the separation of your hellstrip means you could also do something completely different, if you want. Just check your city’s regulations.
Plant a free tree
Your hellstrip is a great space for a tree, and in many cities, there are programs to put a free one there for you. In Phoenix, SRP provides two shade trees per household; in Tampa, the city Parks and Recreation department provides them. To find out if your city provides free trees, just google “free trees, (city name)” and see what comes up.
Free trees are usually only available to homeowners, but even if you rent, your landlord may not know about the program and be happy to get free landscaping. Depending on where you live, you’re likely limited to a certain list of tree varieties. These trees come with plenty of instructions, and sometimes are even planted for you. A tree is a fantastic start to transforming your hellstrip, providing shade and, in some cities, even fruit.
Create a bioswale
A bioswale is landscaping that is engineered to absorb water and filter out chemicals and debris, meaning that it can handle a lot of rain runoff. These installations include a lot of rocks for drainage, tall grasses, and greenery that can handle a lot of water, all depending on where you live.
Not only attractive, a bioswale can serve an additional benefit: many cities may give you a discount on your water bill for diverting water from the sewers via your bioswale. A portion of your water bill is likely for the water that goes into the sewers, so talk to your local water company and ask about incentives for rain diversion in your yard.
Make a place for pollinators
Butterflies, bees, and birds have one thing in common: our food systems rely on them. They carry pollen from one plant to another, which allows fruit and vegetables to grow. Butterflies and bees are also in danger from things like disease, pollution, and chemicals used in landscaping. You can create a safe place for all three in your hellstrip.
You can add native plants sourced from local nurseries, with a heavy emphasis on berry shrubs. If you choose evergreen berry shrubs, like evergreen huckleberry, you have the additional benefit of year round color—even in the dead of winter.
You can also add plants like milkweed for butterflies, plants with red showy flowers like salvia, crocosmia and columbine for hummingbirds, and a source of water, like a solar fountain. For ground cover, you can consider using free woodchips, which will keep the ground cooler and moist by acting as mulch.
Add vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruit
A long, narrow space is a perfect spot for berry canes like raspberries on a trellis. And if you have enough depth to the space, you could also add raised beds for more vegetables (and it’s advisable to make sure the beds are tall enough that animals can’t use them as toilets).
You can create wildflower pastures by layering compost, wildflower mix, and some mulch or straw to protect the seeds. Even if you just plant perennial herbs in the space–sage, lavender, rosemary, and thyme—it transforms the strip into a place that bees will love and passersby will smell.
If your hellstrip is currently just a pasture of weeds or a patch of grass to be mowed, consider all the benefits of taking some time to make it less shitty. For additional ideas, consider resources like the book Hellstrip Gardening, by Evelyn Hadden.
