Dress Up Your Sidewalk With This Easy Street-Side Garden Plan

3.4K
103
46

It's possible to create a beautiful garden in a challenging spot along a sun-drenched curb; you just need to use tough plants that can tolerate heat and drought well. This easy street-side garden plan relies on a mix of native perennials that do just that, plus they'll create an oasis of colorful blooms and foliage that will look good all summer long. Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects will also appreciate the abundance of nectar-rich flowers.

Plants for Creating the Easy Street-Side Garden Plan

The flowering perennials in this garden plan will provide weeks of summer color. In addition, a few fall-blooming natives such as aster, goldenrod, and turtlehead will extend the floral show until frost and provide food for many pollinators that are still out foraging until winter begins.

  • 6 Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Shortwood'): Zones 4-8
  • 4 Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis): Zones 3-9
  • 5 Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'): Zones 3-9
  • 5 Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Zones 3-8
  • 3 Smooth aster (Aster laevis 'Bluebird'): Zones 3-9
  • 4 Bee balm (Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline'): Zones 4-10
  • 4 New England blazing star (Liatris scariosa var. novae-angliae): Zones 4-8
  • 4 Rough-stem goldenrod (Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'): Zones 4-9
  • 2 Ox eye daisy (Heliopsis helianthoides 'Summer Nights'): Zones 3-9
  • 3 Turtlehead (Chelone glabra): Zones 3-8

If you can't find the exact cultivars listed above, substitute with other plants that offer similar colors, shapes, and sizes to still achieve the look of this garden plan.

Get the Free Easy Street-Side Garden Plan

This garden design includes an illustrated version of the planted garden, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the best plants for the sidewalk?

    The best plants for this challenging area between the street curb and sidewalk are low maintenance plants that don't get overly tall. Planting bright, beautiful flowers and native perennials can enhance the curb appeal of your house while drawing butterflies and birds to the area.

  • What plants should you avoid growing near the sidewalk?

    Avoid planting oversized shrubs that could scratch or harm anyone walking down the sidewalk. Also be careful to keep the plants you grow below 3 feet tall so they don't obstruct views for drivers.

  • Can you plant trees near the sidewalk?

    Be careful when planting trees near a sidewalk because their roots will grow as the tree does. This can eventually cause the pavement to crack or lift, so make sure any trees that will grow large are at least 6 feet away from the sidewalk.

New

Orchids on display in a shop
38.1K
1.1K
160
What's a Mulching Lawn Mower and Is It Better for Your Grass?
Caring for Your Yard
Orchids on display in a shop
26.1K
1.8K
255
9 Types of Drought-Tolerant Grass for a Lawn You Don't Need to Water All the Time
Caring for Your Yard
Orchids on display in a shop
5.7K
170
51
What Is Loam Soil and How Can You Create It in Your Garden?
Caring for Your Yard
Orchids on display in a shop
44.8K
1.8K
537
9 Common Garden Myths That Could Ruin Your Garden
Caring for Your Yard
Orchids on display in a shop
34.3K
2.7K
1K
How to Plant Dahlia Tubers for Their Colorful Summer Flowers
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
46.7K
2.8K
1.4K
19 Flowering Succulents to Grow for Their Stunning Blooms
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
36.7K
1.8K
586
These Winter Flowers Keep Your Garden Colorful Even When It's Cold
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
23.1K
1.8K
535
How to Plant and Grow a Christmas Fern
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
9.4K
562
73
12 Beautiful Rabbit- and Deer-Resistant Bulbs for Your Garden
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
19.6K
785
125
How to Plant and Grow Golden Alexander
Flowers
Orchids on display in a shop
6.9K
484
62
New to Gardening? Use This Beginner Garden for Shade Plan to Get Started
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
6K
240
93
This Corner Garden of Shrubs and Trees Will Look Beautiful Year-Round
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
10.4K
726
116
Add Easy-Care Color with This Small Space, Drought-Resistant Garden Plan
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
37.2K
2.6K
469
This Clay Soil Garden Plan Will Thrive Even in Tough Conditions
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
42.3K
2.5K
253
This Cold-Climate Shade Garden Plan Features Colorful Perennials
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
34.6K
691
241
Foliage Is King In This Year-Round Excitement Garden Plan
Garden Plans
Orchids on display in a shop
19.3K
1.2K
127
Your Seasonal Lawn-Care Schedule for the Midwest
Gardening Routine
Orchids on display in a shop
27.3K
817
228
Your Seasonal Lawn-Care Schedule for the Northeast
Gardening Routine
Orchids on display in a shop
12.1K
120
40
Your Seasonal Lawn-Care Schedule for the Pacific Northwest
Gardening Routine
Orchids on display in a shop
26.8K
804
361
How to Make Compost Tea That Will Give Your Plants a Natural Boost
Gardening Routine