Curbside Gardens

"We had a lawn out here, and nobody in my family wanted to take care of it," she says. "It looked terrible all the time. In the summer, it gets really dry, and I didn't want to have to lug a hose out here." So to remedy the situation, she tore out the lawn (figure C) to prepare the area for a more attractive curbside garden.

But before Dole started any planting, she pounded the pavement of her Seattle suburb. "The first thing you should do is talk to your neighbors and make sure that it's an acceptable landscaping choice for other people in your neighborhood." Then, of course there are city rules and regulations. Dole suggests checking with the authorities for city codes detailing plant selections and height limitations.