That strip of land between the sidewalk and the street—the boulevard or sometimes, the hellstrip—offers exciting space opportunities for gardeners who want to expand their plantings. But planting a boulevard garden requires honest assessment, careful plant choices and diligent maintenance. Assess the Space First things first: Make sure it’s legal to plant on the boulevard….

Like many gardeners in Minnesota, I’ve been discovering crispy, browning leaves on my plants; the new hydrangeas I’m testing, winterberries that have been in the ground for years, green beans. Are these scorched plants due to the heatwave we’ve had in June? Or are they symptoms of disease? And, what should a gardener do about…

Douglas Tallamy, the scientist who wrote the best-seller Bringing Nature Home, says that if you want to plant a tree for pollinators, birds and other wildlife, plant an oak, particularly a native oak. Oaks support more than 500 types of pollinators by providing shelter, food and habitat. They also bring in birds galore. The northern…