Monday, April 22, 2019

That's a darn fine hellstrip planting...

A friend and I enjoyed a meal at Güero a couple months back, I kept meaning to return to take some pics in the daylight and finally did...

Like many Portland restaurants they've squeezed a little outdoor seating area along the sidewalk. We Portlanders LOVE to be outside when the weather permits. From this vantage point the hellstrip looks nicely planted, but nothing really special, right?

But what about from this end? That's a different ball of wax, eh?

Those Yucca rostrata have the fatest trunks I've seen, ever...

I love how the utility meters are almost completely hidden by potted plants. I wonder how the peeps who have to read those meters feel about it?

Among the many stellar plants in the hellstrip there's an Edgeworthia (blooming, ya, it was a few weeks ago that I took these photos)...

An Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)...

And a couple Acca sellowiana, aka pineapple guava.

Moving on we've got a phormium and a palm, probably a Trachycarpus fortunei.

And a Choisya...

Yep, that's a darn fine collection of plants!

But of course the stars are these two...

Across the street is an assortment of stock-tank planters I wrote about on the plantlust.com blog back in 2015 (here).

As seems to be the case these days someone had to go and get bad with the spray paint.

Weather Diary, April 21: Hi 64, Low 45/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

20 comments:

  1. I just used a stock tank in a parking strip and saw a little boy kick it a few times -- but spray paint?! Really!? And not even well-done graffiti...

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    1. I've seen them dented where a car has backed into them too. Where there's a will to damage there is a way...

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  2. What a great surprise! Do you know who is behind this planting? The plant selection is very Cistus-y :-)

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    1. When I posted a photo on Instagram (back when we ate there in February) I believe I was told the owner of the restaurant was the one who did it. But yes, very Cistus-y.

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  3. Great timing for your post! I am on an "adopt-a-median" committee to clean up and plant two weed-infested neighborhood medians here in PDX. I love the use of small rock here as a mulch but am curious as to how to keep weeds out of something like this. Do you know how this is achieved or do you have personal suggestion? I am going to swing by Guero this week to take a look in person, but didn't want to start digging around in the planting beds there to check things out. :-)

    Thanks.

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    1. These rocks were much bigger than what I used in my front garden and hell strip and I would advise against using this size. They're ankle twisters. There's just no way to walk on them safely. The size I got (3/4”-1/4” round from Oregon Decorative Rock) you can walk on easily. I don't know what they used underneath the rock (if anything) but can tell you I didn't put down any barrier and have only had an issue with weeds where water collects, like along the driveway and sidewalk, they're easily pulled.

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    2. Thanks! That makes sense to me and there is an Oregon Decorative Rock on the West side not far away.

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  4. I wish more communities would upgrade their parking strips and road medians. It makes such a huge difference in how an area feels.

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    Replies
    1. These businesses are doing a great job!

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  5. There are some nice hellstrips around here but nothing like the ones you and Peter show.

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    1. Such a difficult and often neglected area.

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  6. It sure is a nice hellstrip. Those Yucca rostratas could poke someone in the eye. They probably should be in a safer place, like your garden:)

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  7. Wow those yuccas trunks are big and straight! Great helll strip.

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    1. I wonder what their early growing conditions were?

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  8. Definitely not your average mow-blow company installation !

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    1. Ha! True. Hopefully they aren't allowed near for maintenance either.

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  9. Hell strip plantings seem to be more accepted in the PNW then here on the prairie's. If someone did this the bylaw officer would be ticketing them in a heartbeat. So behind the times as they really help green up a neighbourhood in a wonderful way.

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    1. So it's just lawn and street trees then?

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  10. Oh geez, this place's desayuno is sublime - to say nothing of their margaritas. I'm going to have to take a closer look at their south side hellstrip - I've been contemplating a pineapple guava for our hellstrip and had no idea that's what they'd planted! Wonder if they'd allow me to take a small cutting to try to root!

    I know One Green World has them, but my wife has recently decided the "use your discretion" method doesn't cut it when I go there alone. I dare say I'm going to be cut off entirely if I go back anytime soon!

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