Commonly referred to as "hell strips", these are areas that typically take a lot of abuse, are difficult to irrigate and for ease of those parking along side, should be mostly low growing items. Consider plants which are drought tolerant first - Salvia officinalis, creeping rosemary, lavenders, sun roses (Helianthemum) are ideal. Also low growing evergreen grasses like blue fescue or blue oat grass. And pretty much any sun loving groundcover. For ease of maintenance and to look good all year, focus on evergreen plants (which all of these are). You can always add a few bulbs or summer annuals to punch up the color seasonally.

Size of these strips vary and on larger ones, shrubs are often included (as well as street trees), but consider the mature size of plants and ease of visibility when backing out of your drive.

A tour through some of the more established neighborhoods in Seattle could provide inspiration - portions of Ballard, Wallingford, West Seattle, Magnolia and Queen Anne have many very well-designed and thoughtfully planted hell strips, often including a couple of landscape boulders to provide some context and definition and as well as some sort of pavers through the plantings to facilitate foot traffic for visitors parking on the street.

Check with appropriate municipal regulatory agency, don't know about your town but I'm told Seattle Engineering requires parking strip plantings to either be below a certain rather low height or well above it (as limbed up street trees would be).

Is there parking on that side of the street? Do car doors need to open into this garden space a.k.a. planting strip?

Other than making sure you are not creating a visibility hazard, I don't think there are any height restrictions. Drought tolerant with year-round interest is best. Grasses like Foster's Feather-Reed Grass are vertical and narrow. Russian Sage sounds ideal. There are some smaller ceanothus cultivars that could be pruned so as not to over-hang the sidewalk.

Verbena bonariensis are long blooming, narrow, and fun.

Euphorbias are good.

Small phormiums (JackSpratt, Platt's Black?).

Red-hot pokers

Mediterranean Fan Palm : Chamaerops humilis.

Groundcovers: kinnikinik, creeping ceanothus, creeping rosemary.

"Plants must remain low (24" high) in traffic calming devices and planting strips within 30 ft of an intersection..."

Here is a link that might be useful: Seattle Transportation Department - Streetside Garden Plant List

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your suggestions. The rules were helpful as well.
Here is what I have in my garden-
1. Lavendars different kinds, I am leaning towards Hidcote. If I start cuttings right now using rooting hormone. I will have enough by spring. However, I don't like their scargly look in winter as much.
2.I liked the euphorbia idea too. Where can I find those. I have one from Green elephant exchange but would like to have atleast 5-6.
3.I also have creeping rosemary, I will root some cuttings from it too.
4. I also have a Russian sage and was wondering if I could root those.
Right now these is what I have growing in that strip.
1. White stripped grass
2. Lychins-dark pink
3. Less than a foot tall hydrangea
4. Recently planted iris- 15 bulbs. I planted them in a row. I was wondering if double row of 7 would look better.
These strip receives lot of sunlight.
I live in a community of 10-15 houses and is furthur from main road. About 100ft from a small intersection. I will have to move the grass somewhere.
Thank you,
Sangeeta

the denfinition of a planting strip