Instead of trying to change the conditions how about finding plants which can grow in poor soils? That would be far cheaper and would not require long term continuous amendment. Also what is the legal position? Is this your land? Do you have permission to garden it?

Floribund, I'm planning to add some compost to increase the organic matter of the soil to help retain soil moisture. At the moment, it's all compacted clay and gravel. I plan to put in plants that are widely adaptable plus a mess of bulbs that were donated (who knows if they'll make it, but we'll see).

This land belongs to the town, and the mayor has asked me to work on this, but thanks for your concern.

I've been working on this 'strip' of flowers in front of my house and the empty lot that belongs to the hospital for 10 years. it's 3 ft. by 70 ft approx. and most of it is at a 45 degree angle. I've lost a lot of seeds in the gutter!

fall 2016
closer view fall 2016

Spring 2015

Spring 2015

Spring 2016

Summer blooms 2016

Coneflowers!!! A native, attracts pollinators, comes back every year.Coneflowers

Bee Balm n Coneflowers (Echinacea)

This photo from 2014. The aster is the last big bloom of the season and it lights up the corner! Everyone loves that last burst of color in the fall. (It's too early yet this year.)

I took a series of pictures early this spring to see what I could identify. Here's 4 of those pictures with plant identification.

Each season is different. Early spring is daffodils, tulips, allium, peonies, common milkweed. Summer is iris, daylilies, veronica, coneflower, red hot poker, bee balm, swamp milkweed and butterfly weed. Fall is rudbeckia, goldenrod, aster, grasses at their peak. I'm mentally stuck in autumn mode so it's hard to think of all the different flowers, but I love them all.

When I started I had very little money. I bought a few plants on sale, but never annuals. 98% of my flowers are from GW seed and plant traders. I wintersow. I dig in ditches. I ask neighbors if I can cut off seed heads. I dig in empty lots.

I've always had the idea that flowers should be shared. I love seeing them so I think everyone should see them. I recently got to glimpse a woman's backyard and it was full of beautiful flowers--but nobody else sees them. What a waste! We can keep people smiling and they can forget their troubles for a moment.

We get a lot of dog walkers and I tell owners I accept all donations of fertilizer. I am harboring a bit of bitterness against a 7-year-old boy who picked my one and only red hot poker, but I like to think he gave it to his mother and God says to forgive--so i'm working on it.

My husband never saw this coming. In fact, I love to tease him that it was his idea. He suggested we plant flowers because this was going to be hell to mow. He was sure I was spending big dollars, but I started to show him how I was doing it. Now, of course, he loves to take credit for the flowers!

People told me 10 years ago that my flowers would get full and I'd have to thin them out. I thought they were sniffing too much glue in the garage.. I had ALL THIS SPACE to fill! Well, it's full and I love it. Heidi

BEAUTIFUL! What are the garden chores associated with the strip? Estimate weekly time spent on weeding? deadheading? dividing? Do any members of the community help out?

Very nice Xian girl! Love, love the species tulips and the lovely progression of flowers.

For the OP, given the shaded northern site, I might suggest some ferns, hosta and astible as a verdant base. They would need some supplemental water in if it hasn't rained for a while.

You could shop the autumn sales for immediate planting with bulbs underneath or see if your area has a Spring swap. If it does, post for hosta and shade loving plants. Older iris cultivars - the types typically shared at swaps - often can take some shade, but I would put in whichever area has the most sun. Often the hosta shared will be the bulletproof variety. Great for your needs and will help hide dying bulb foliage as well.

From your picture, I see some areas support grass while others don't. One such area seems near a tree. I don't know about the Bradford Pear root system, but I would concentrate any early effort on the areas that had the thickest grass growth and just mulch around the tree for now. Mulch lightly near the base.

What a fun challenge! I'm counseling for a quick greening and then filling in with flowering plants later as you know your growing and sun conditions better. Feel free to deviate quite a bit. Good luck!

I love xiangirl'S beds, too. There are 4 areas in question for my project. The biggest one is the semi-shady hellstrip on the north side of a building (pictured in the OP). The remaining 3 are small. One is shady, two are full sun. (Photos to come soon) So, I'll be taking ideas from any and all examples. posierosie, the ferns are a great idea.