what is the depth of soil against foundation that you would be able to put on top gravel? Do you have gutters? 3' isn't much distance for slope and thus doesn't sound like you'll be able to build up very high against the foundation and create the necessary depth for planting. Also, gravel does have a way of migrating upward as your soil is slowly leached through the old driveway so in the long run don't expect the tidiest garden. No reason why you cant build that wall on the existing driveway, assuming your levels work out.

I was also thinking of something like some abbreviated low stone walls or some other marker that doesn't go over the top of the driveway. A hedge is another good option, can be low and narrow but does the job. But I would like something clear like a pillar on which you can put your address, since I imagine visitors will have some trouble finding it. Lighting might be an idea - you'd have to think of wiring. I would also think less of the opening than of the delineation of the whole driveway itself. it is a 3D thing. By the way whatever you build, someone will hit. If possible you might make a flaring line of stones or hedge or whatever to make it easier to navigate the opening. The legal property division is an issue, as is what preferences the neighbours have for their separation from a driveway running up the side of their house. This sounds like a decision best made in consultation, and if it is to be plants, the maintenance and eventual root spread should be planned for. All in all, however much your mind is dwelling on this, it is a decision to be deferred, except for preparing for what your needs out there might be. If you think lights or an intercom or some such thing will ever be needed, an electrical conduit just might be worth incorporating. In making your plans, think of the function of the area, not just the look. When you've driven it a hundred times and seen all manner of vehicles do it, when you've directed a whole bunch of people there and heard whether they had trouble finding it, when you've come late at night and tried to drive in in the dark... then you'll know what to do. KarinL

That's funny - it's an argument my husband and I have had for the 15 years we've been stuck mid-reno: I say exactly that: why clean/organize/tidy a construction zone? He says, why finish anything if it is going to be a mess anyway? While we were arguing, the kids grew up in spite of the mess/half-finished house, and now we have more time and energy. I'm not at all familiar with your climate or with Bermuda grass, but have been a keen student of hellstrips and custodian of one of my own for a long time. Some thoughts: If people park there at all you should make areas for passenger exit from cars, because people sometimes want to park badly enough that they will trample your plants. Perhaps you can actually control where people will park by creating mulch or paver areas to accommodate them (depends on how competitive parking is around there). Anyway, I would begin your plan by laying out the bones for such walkways, along the curb and from curb to sidewalk, just as you might for any garden design project. I have seen some that put a pathway along the entire roadside, but this is one narrow strip so that may not be do-able. The other thing you can do to give this space something other than a linear character is to use other hardscape instead of all plants - boulders? stumps? a trellis down at the wide end where it wouldn't block the stop sign? garden junk? (I have some old sinks that contain my aggressive spreaders in my hellstrip). As an aside, hard things discourage parking just a bit more assertively than plants do, although single occupant vehicles won't notice and others can always pick-up/drop-off their passengers at the corner.... What kind of root zone was left when the city poured the sidewalk? If there is just a shallow trench of dirt, your plants are going to have a hard go of it, but if it is truly an opening into deep soil, trees might have a chance. You could put up columnar types a safe distance from the stop sign or prune the canopies to ensure stop sign visibility. Shrubs, in contrast, will mature and broaden at the wrong heights for most types of vehicles. As far as plant selection is concerned, I could be worse than useless given my zone (I can identify perhaps three of the plants Bahia has listed for you!), but in general terms I have some preferences based on the public nature of such a strip. In my "urban renewal" environment, littering is endemic and there is a risk (thankfully quite low) of litter of a particular unpleasant nature. For that reason, I like to be able to see the area quite bare at least once per year. So the only evergreen plants I like are those that are ground-hugging that no garbage can hide under, and the stuff that bulks up a lot is perennial - it either dies back or I cut it back (quite carefully) when it's done. Tree trunks excepted, obviously. An option that would work for me if your hellstrip were in front of my house would be to use some ground cover succulents (my experience is limited to sedums and sempervivums) that may be evergreen, offset with some hardscape and funnel-shaped pathways crossing the strip, and punctuated with either blooming perennials (such as those poppies) or manageable trees. In fact, this would be really awesome just planted with sempervivums from one end to the other! KarinL

Do you have a lot of bunnies and deer in your area? You may not see any in your own yard because of the lack of foliage, but if you've got a deer population, you're going to have some trouble. We've got TONS of deer where I am, and they will eat anything we put in the front yard (they can't get into the backyard!) But, if deer are not a problem, I suggest Hostas. These are perennials, they're pretty hardy and roughly maintenance-free. We've got a bunch around the yard and we planted them there at least 10 years ago, and probably have not done much since planting them other than feeding once in a while. The rain provides enough water. However, when we tried putting them in the front yard, the deer munched happily on them. Same with the lilies, even though I was pretty sure deer did not like lilies (or maybe the bunnies ate the lilies?). Black eyed susans are self-seeding, and quite strong too. If you want a few smaller flowers for cutting, snapdragons are very attractive and provide a nice burst of color, and depending on your zone, since they are self seeding, they may come back in higher numbers the next year, and so on. Iris is a very nice choice too, as it is a fairly sturdy plant and does not require too much maintenance. I suggest finding some bearded iris rhizomes online right around now, because they are late summer/fall planted. There are a number of very attractive "rebloomers" that will bloom in the spring and again in the summer, which is always nice. Deer won't eat them, and they're nice. However i'm not 100% positive 6hrs is enough sunlight for an iris, but it might be. (iris experts, chime in!) You might want to consider some kind of wild flower seed. check online (i always buy my seeds and bulbs from americanmeadows.com and they do have a section, IIRC, for what seed mixtures are best for each area of the US) as these can provide a colorful splash to your garden bed. If you're looking for spring time color, invest in some daffodils. These are totally maintenance free, other than planting the bulbs. They take care of themselves, you don't have to dig up the bulbs, and they will multiply over the years. Any spot is okay for them, though they do prefer a little bit of shade, and so your 6 hrs of light is perfect for them. If you're looking for some border annuals, petunias are a nice choice, as are portulaca. Portulaca is much easier to take care of though--you really don't have to do anything other than plant them. With petunias you have to make sure they don't get too much water--and if you get a lot of rain, they're going to rot and get moldy. (though this is the same with most plants, i suppose)