Austin landscape designers tackle North Lamar hellstrips
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The hellstrip in front of Barton Springs Nursery Design Studio and Showroom. Photo: Courtesy of Whitney Runyon
A group of Austin landscape designers is working to transform barren stretches of North Lamar Boulevard into pockets of drought-tolerant plants.
Why it matters: Hellstrips — the space between the sidewalk and the curb — are often blasted by direct sun and receive little to no water, making them a notoriously difficult place to grow plants.
- Designers at Barton Springs Nursery Showroom and Design Studio have their eye on North Lamar's hellstrips and have put out a call to neighboring businesses to work together to green up the corridor.
What they're saying: Amy Hovis, co-owner of Barton Springs Nursery, said the group started with the rocky strip in front of the design studio, near West Ninth Street and North Lamar.
- After they planted a mix of low-maintenance plants there, "it had so much impact about how we feel when we walk up and what we see through the window," she tells Axios. "It's amazing how much plants can make such a huge difference."
Zoom in: When temperatures cool, they plan to tuck soil and seeds into concrete crevices "and start to just green up and beautify as much as we can," Hovis says.
- The team began approaching their neighboring businesses this summer to see who's interested. Some could share the cost, while Barton Springs Nursery plans to donate plants and labor for others.
- "It was important to me to make the investment, and it's not a big investment at all," she says. "So we're making it as cheap as possible. … We'll do it for you."
Reality check: Without irrigation, they'll have to rely on extremely hardy plants like Yucca rostrata, ghost plants and Woolly Stemodia.
- "We do have fortunately a lot of Texas native plants that are hardy, that are drought-tolerant," Hovis says, but "it's always a little tricky because it's just pure sun."
- The goal is landscaping that requires little additional watering or maintenance once they're established.
How it works: Author Evelyn J. Hadden, in her book "Hellstrip Gardening," describes the strips as part of the public landscape, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
- "These tough environments don't often support healthy lawns," she writes, "but they can host thriving gardens that dramatically improve their surroundings" — adding curb appeal, beautifying the neighborhood, saving water, and giving wildlife an urban stopover for shelter and food."
What's next: The designers aren't necessarily stopping at North Lamar.
- "If we get permission and all of that, we'll do it all over town. That's what we love," Hovis says.
- "I can't physically pay for everything by myself, but I'm willing to share the cost and we'll make it the most affordable way to do this."