Urban Ecoist

Yesterday, the idea of creating a small garden plot in an urban environment next to a road was introduced, and today, I’d like to expand on that roadside urban garden plot in terms of plants that you might consider adding to a garden plot that will have to tolerate air pollution.

It is best to plan out the big plantings first, so let’s first talk about what is most likely going to be the biggest type of “plant” you could choose to plan your garden around.

Trees

Depending on your urban space, you may not have the option to plant trees. Trees can be very big and may block sidewalks or roads, or they may have to be trimmed to not touch power lines. This can become a headache for you, so be sure to check out to see not only how much space you have in the garden, but also what kind of space in which a tree will be able to grow.

With that in mind, I have a large space in my front yard, and it is currently a wasteful grassy lawn. I have garden spots along fences and walkways in addition to spaces around the house. But my yard just drops off down a slope (Portland, Oregon is rather hilly being situated between two mountain ranges), and is totally boring until it ends at the street.

However, just because I have lots of space in which to grow a tree, I must also be careful to not diminish any of the afternoon sun on my southwest facing yard. Luckily, due to the house and fences being up on a small hill, even a taller tree shouldn’t create too much shade until later in the evening.

But also once I commit to adding a taller and fuller (i.e. wider) tree, I will have to plan the remaining space as a shade garden.

If you still want to plant a tree or two in your roadside garden, here are some species you may want to consider. These trees tolerate air pollution rather well, so adding these trees will not only act as a shield for your yard from some of that pollution, but they can also dampen the sound of traffic (noise pollution if you think about it) from the road. And…if that weren’t enough, a tree can provide a little privacy for your front yard.

Holly : An evergreen (above and at left) that bears striking leaves and dramatic red berries in the autumn and into winter. The Highclere variety is a good one to pick as it grows in a narrow, compact shape so it won’t take up too much space or create a lot of shade for other plants. It grows to 25 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Holly also provides a good habitat for wildlife, as it keeps its leaves all year, and as those leaves are rigid and pointy, hollies are sought by birds for natural defense. Can also be grown as a hedge.

Serviceberry: Also called shadbush (named this because it would bloom around the time the shad, a fish, would make its annual run) and sarvisberry among other names, the serviceberry (at right) is a useful tree to have around. Some species grow shorter than others, but the trees produce pretty flowers and lots of them in the spring.

A nice added benefit is that the “service” berries are edible. Birds love the berries and if you want, there are lots of recipes out there for everything from serviceberry wine to jellies, jams and relishes. As an example, the Allegheny Serviceberry can grow to 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide, but if you look at the picture to the right, you see it is not compact in its growth pattern, so shade should be light.

Tomorrow, more trees…

trees, garden, urban garden, sidewalk garden, roadside garden, plants, garden design, air pollution, car pollution, noise, privacy, hedge, serviceberry, sarvisberry, shadbush, shad, shade garden, holly, berries, wildlife, birds