Book Review: Hellstrip Gardening

Hellstrip Gardening
Create a paradise between the sidewalk and the curb
by Evelyn Hadden

296 pages
Timber Press, 2014
List price: $24.95, softcover

It's a virtual no-man's land and everyone's, all at the same time and no one really knows what to do with it. That strip of land between the sidewalk and the street is just waiting to become something fabulous and Evelyn Hadden shows you how to make it happen in Hellstrip Gardening.

When I first heard of this book, I wondered how on earth would someone have enough material to write an entire book on what to do with such a small piece of property? Well, silly me. Leave it to Evelyn to explore the possibilities and present them in a way that makes you want to jump right up and garden that thing.

This is public land, so there's that to consider, but those kinds of issues are covered here so things are done in a proper way. There are plenty of plant suggestions and of course the ideas presented can work for any small strip of land, not just hellstrips, so even gardeners without one will glean some great ideas.

Evelyn Hadden is a national speaker and award-winning author of four gardening books, including Beautiful No-Mow Yards. She encourages property owners to convert unused, unloved lawns to more rewarding landscapes. Evelyn founded the informational website LessLawn and is a founding member of the national Lawn Reform Coalition, as well as a partner at the lauded and provocative team blog GardenRant.

Read more garden book reviews.
Read Kylee Baumle’s blog, Our Little Acre.