I have two hedges of gourmet popcorn, and in my garden both of them have to be sheared with hedge clippers twice a year to keep them down to 5 feet - left alone they would get to be 6-7 feet easily. I am certain about this, because at any height over 5 feet one of them blocks the view of the sidewalk as one is driving out of our driveway, and it is my job to keep that hedge low enough so that we do not run into the pedestrians. Jackie

Thanks for asking. I've heard that the town is backing down - I'm just waiting for official word. They requested my "plan" for the boulevard and written permission from the neighbours, all of which I have supplied. Silly gooses, I would have been more than happy to do this for them when I first broached the subject at the town offices - in fact, I had rather expected to do so. It was their own people on two separate occasions who specifically told me that I didn't need to put in any kind of application. The fact that their knickers got into a twist after the fact has more to do with their communication skills than mine! And all over some flowers for Pete's sake! At least it should be easier for the next person in our town who wishes to plant their boulevard...because more than a few people have said that they like what I've done here and want to do something similar at their own home in the spring. Hee.

We just got done re-doing a small boulevard garden into a larger rain garden, which is meant to collect the rainwater coming off of our hill. We are on a corner so this is just the beggining. John dug the plants we had there out, kept some and gave away others. We had lots of ribbon grass to give away. He dug the garden lower than the sidewalk and added a berm using the extra soil firmed down. It has been keeping the water from running off for the last week. We are moving in natives from our garden and will trade for and buy more. It is a simple form of a rain garden. .

Some perennials that are somewhat salt tolerant. Sea thrift (Armeria maritima) 'Powis Castle' Artemisia 'Silver Mound' Artemisia ) 'Karl Foerster' reed grass (Calamagrostis acutiflora) Cheddar pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) 'Elijah Blue' Blue Fescue Grass (Festuca glauca) Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) Hosta Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) Sea lavender (Limonium latifolium) Lilyturf (Liriope spicata) Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Sedum spectabile) Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Barren strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides) Adam's-needle Yucca Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) Obviously some of these wouldn't work but maybe some of them. Little Bluestem Carousel is a shorter variety about 30 in. when in bloom or less.