I’m just wondering how you all would improve this strip of grass and gravel. I’ve considered gravel, or river stones. The fresh looking soil is where we just removed a planter box I’d built that had been run over a few times and started rotting too.
Side note: I’m thinking of updating the fence to a horizontal wood plank, in natural cedar color. Thoughts?
by citizenchan
26 Comments
I’d lay pavers personally.
Hostas
If it were where I live I would do native prairie grasses. They will naturalize themselves, give excellent space for birds and did deep down in the soil to help with erosion control. I’m sure there’s native grasses wherever you live
Edit. Also minimal to no upkeep. Some grasses will like to be cut down at the end of the season but I wait until winter is over because it houses beneficial insects and birds through the winter. Chop them down in spring and forget them until next spring
DC vibes
I personally am a plant lover so I’d say you could plant a perennial with nice foliage year round like a hydrangea or a hosta. You could throw in some coneflower/echinacea for the butterflies and bees and a pop of colour as well.
For an alley beside my house I honestly wouldn’t waste any time or effort on this unless it’s causing some kind of problem?
Wildflower pollinator garden
Honestly, it already kind of is what it’s going to be. No plant is going to thrive their, and hardscaping will risk damage from cars.
Personally, I think its fine. Not everything needs to be perfectly manicured.
Does it snow in your area?
Violets. They’re native, durable, pollinator friendly, and you don’t need to mow them.
Fire witch dianthus if it’s evergreen and hearty in your zone. Lots of cheerful pink flowers for over half the year in lush blue green grass.
I’d do a a bunch of California poppies.
Hosta and day lilies
I would either extend the fence lol, or plant wild flowers in that area.
I would plant of bunch of native perennial flowers and let it be.
Cosmos or zinnias for color!
Asphalt
# Calendula are pretty hardy, and they’ll reseed themselves from year to year.
And/or some tulip bulbs.
Parking pavers. They’ll support the weight driven over them, permit hardy grasses to grow in the squares, and not turn into a trench of muddy destruction.
I would forget it’s even there. Then when I looked at it, I would think “hmm there’s that strip I forgot about, guess I better forget about again”. 🤷🏼♀️
Pavers
Rocks
Stone crop session sedum
What’s your geographical area? If that road gets snow plowed, absolutely nothing should be planted there. Otherwise, something native that requires no supplemental watering.
Talk to the neighbor boy about how fun painting it is.
Crusher Run. Nothing will grow there.