The verge is the area of public land located between a property boundary and adjacent back of curb or edge of pavement. The verge provides access from the street to private and public properties and accommodates above and below-ground public service utilities. Verges typically do not provide enough root space for understory shrubs and trees to thrive. If canopy trees are already present, all uncovered mulch should be planted with shade-loving groundcovers to prevent mulch from washing out.
To make the most of these small spaces, one should consider using more appropriate treatments such as turf, reliable and easy to maintain hardscapes and groundcovers or a mixture of perennials and groundcovers, taking care to not place delicate plants where they will be underfoot by passengers emerging from cars.
Is it city property?
The homeowner is responsible for any verge garden adjacent to their property. The City is responsible for maintaining or removing all street trees in the verge, but all other maintenance responsibilities are the homeowners. Turf in the verges will be the easiest for the homeowner to maintain, unless canopy trees are mature and have shaded and ‘rooted’ out the ground. The residents will need to keep these areas weed free. For a more gardenesque feel with minimal maintenance required, homeowners are to use dependable groundcovers (i.e. Liriope spicata, Ophiopogon japonicus). For the most extensive planting of groundcovers and perennials, the homeowners need to anticipate a great deal of maintenance. These verge plantings will require continuous maintenance. Well maintained verges create a clear sense of place and strengthen the cohesive look of Ghent Square.
Avoid these mistakes
Ghent Square residents will often get cited for verges that look unsightly. When redesigning your verge, take care not to use plants that will get too tall and prevent people from exiting their cars on the passenger side. While bare dirt is not acceptable, it’s also worse to completely cover it with mulch. Due to frequent street flooding, mulch gets washed down the street and clogs the drains. If you have too much dirt showing and weeds popping through, you can often solve the problem by planting more low-growing plants such as liriope and putting down more hardscape. Don’t forget to locate all public utility services prior to digging by calling Miss Utility.