When the original use for a piece of land becomes obsolete, it’s an excellent opportunity to turn it into an area that the entire community can enjoy as an attractive green space, rather than allowing it to degenerate into a weed-covered eyesore.

When a stretch of disused railroad track became available, this reader jumped at the chance to put her green thumb to good use.

QUESTION: “I love your articles and I have a few questions that hopefully you can answer. There is an old railroad track here that has been turned into a bike/snowmobile trail. There is a neighbor’s house next to it but there is enough space to put in a nice size hedge with no problem. The area is quite long before it meets the woods and starts at a city street.

“The suggestion from the County (I am volunteering myself because I am in a landscape horticulture program) was a line of evergreens/shrubs. The department just didn’t exactly know what to put there. On the other side of the trail is a large ditch that I thought may need to be covered in slabs as it is too steep to be easily mowed. Right next to that is the parking lot that needs a fence for bikes and a barrier for the cars to go no further.

“I have been looking for ideas as to what to put for the hedge without just using one type of evergreen but I am not sure how to go about making the easy transition into bringing other types of plants/shrubs to add some variation and would be pleasing to those that are on the trail or from the street where the trail begins.

“Any ideas that you think may be helpful?” – Sue Crabb

ANSWER: This sounds like a very exciting and worthwhile project! I think the evergreens would be excellent as a backdrop for other shrubs that you could plant in front of them. A rule of thumb is to plant the evergreens in odd-numbered groupings such three, five, etc.

For the shrubs, the key issue is “easy to grow.” Avoid high-maintenance plants and look for shrubs that are fairly self-sufficient. Create interest by selecting shrubs of different heights, shapes and colors. Mix evergreens and deciduous perennials, and think about planting some low growing groundcovers, such as creeping red sedum, along the front of the row.

Speaking of groundcovers, rather than cover the ditch with slabs, I suggest you investigate to see if groundcover would be a practical alternative. A hard-to-mow slope is often the perfect place for a dense groundcover that is green and attractive while keeping the weeds at bay.

Vinca minor or trailing periwinkle is a fast growing excellent evergreen groundcover for full sun, shaded and semi-shaded areas. It produces dark green oval-shaped foliage and conspicuous blue flowers in early spring. You can combine trailing periwinkle with Pachysandra if each kind is kept in large colonies, not mixed together. It grows almost flat on the ground, so in the location you describe it would follow the contours of the ditch creating a visually-pleasing undulating line.

You could also use evergreens as a “living fence” to form the barrier for the parking lot. or centerpiece for both sides. A good choice might be pyramidal arborvitae, an evergreen tree with bright green foliage. Most pyramidal arborvitae can reach a height of fifteen to twenty-five feet and have a spread of about three to five feet, but can of course be trimmed to give a lower and flatter topside. They make an excellent screen, and can grow at a rate of about one foot per year. When young, the pyramidal arborvitae has a bright green color to its foliage, which darkens as the plant ages.

Remember, this is not something that needs to be done all at once. Do the base plantings first and then add to it as time and money permits. It makes the task more fun if you can make it a community project in which a number of people can get involved.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Just as cute little puppies grow into big dogs, small trees can grow until they overpower both your garden and your home, as I explain to this reader…

QUESTION: “I have a 10′ x 12′ section of lattice work that I want covered with climbers. It is in a shaded part of the yard. What would you recommend that would be a fast grower?

“I also want to get a fast growing tree for my front yard. Any help will be appreciated.” – Brian

ANSWER: I can suggest several climbing plants that you should look into. You might consider five leaf akebia, variegated porcelain vine, and Boston ivy for your lattice panels. You can find pictures, descriptions and growing tips for them with an online search or a visit to the library.

When it comes to fast-growing trees, take a look at birch, poplar, green ash, and sycamore. An important consideration is size. Be sure to find out what the mature height and spread will be before you plant any tree. If you select a tree that will be much too large for your yard, it will not only be out of scale for your landscape, it has the potential to interfere with overhead power lines, drop heavy limbs onto your roof in a storm or even damage your home’s foundation with its root system.

QUESTION: “My parents have a garden that is overfilled with columbines, a breed named ‘Aquilegia Vulgaris – Clementine Dark Purple’. We have tried two seasons in a row now to rid the garden of these, as my parents aren’t gardeners and these are multiplying by the dozens all over their property. I’ve tried to dig them up in early spring before they flower but each year I must have missed one of two, hence they grow and multiply….. Please help!” – Shannon Genier

ANSWER: You have my sympathy as I am trying to get rid of Wisteria which is one of the tough ones. I’m a little puzzled as the columbine variety you mention is supposed to be non-invasive. In any case, I am using a product called Vine-X.

The active ingredient in Vine-X is in a special vegetable oil formulation that actually penetrates the waterproof bark of invasive vines and brush plants. Once applied to the stem, Vine-X moves through the plant’s internal capillary system to the root, where the active ingredient works to disrupt the plant’s growth activity.

This may work for you but will have to be done on different sprouts throughout next summer.

QUESTION: “I have an odd entrance area at my condo that was constructed in the early 1970s. I’ve tried several types of container plants in an effort to add some green to the space in the spring and summer, but everything seems to fail. I’ve resorted to artificial boxwood topiaries and hanging baskets with ferns (I set them out for some sun periodically and they last for the summer).

“I was thinking about building window boxes that are about 24” deep so there’s plenty of soil, rigging up grow lights on a timer, and planting ‘Bamboo Green Screen’ in the boxes. I’m questioning if a high wattage grow light will do the trick for this variety of bamboo that says it requires “Full Sun”; would that be successful or would you suggest something else? I’d like to stick to something evergreen and non-flowering.” – Brian Cunningham

ANSWER: I hate to be discouraging, but I have to tell you that it is difficult to take plants that are normally grown outdoors and keep them permanently in such an enclosed area without being subjected to any of the elements. Those types of plants do need at least some rainfall, wind and filtered light in addition to regular watering and fertilizing. There are bamboo varieties that will grow in shaded areas, such as the fargesia panda. Also, hostas, Solomon’s seal, clematis, ferns and astilbes could grow there as well.

But when taking plants out of their normal environments, it can be trial and error to find those that will do okay. Be prepared to experiment until you find those that work best!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: “I am from Texas and currently I’m living in Ft. Drum, NY, because my husband is in the service. I am not used to snow and I have some plants that I need to know how to take care of.

“They are in my flower bed and are perennials and I don’t know if I am supposed to cover them with some sort of plastic or mulch or just dig them up and put them in the garage. I have a red spike plant, lavender salvia, dusty millers, and hostas. I also have a tomato plant that is in a flower pot with a tiny tomato beginning to grow on it.

”Since the weather is changing here, I need to know what I can do. If there is any advice that you can give me, I would appreciate it.” – Brenda

ANSWER: No need to dig them up, Brenda! I know that some gardeners like to put plastic garbage bags over vulnerable plants, and that’s okay in a pinch; for instance if you find out that a freeze is imminent and garbage bags are all you have.

However, my best suggestion is to use cloth sheets, such as old bed sheets. If you don’t have any old sheets, you could invest in some ultra-cheap bed sheets from a dollar store or a thrift store and keep them in the garage or shed specifically for this purpose.

I prefer cloth sheets to plastic sheeting as they allow a better and more natural air flow around the plants. Gently lay the cloth sheets over the plants in the evening, weighting down the edges with rocks if you are expecting strong winds that might blow them away. The next morning, after it begins to warm, simply remove the sheets and put them where they can dry out a bit and are ready for the next chilly night.

On the subject of adverse weather conditions, several readers have asked about an article that my wife Cheryl wrote on the subject. Titled “Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Flooding and Storms,” it includes tips on what to do when natural disasters strike. You can find it on her blog at cherylsnotebook.blogspot.com

QUESTION: “I was wondering if you could help me decide what kind of hedges, trees, etc. to plant along our property line. The area is WET. We’ve tried growing evergreens (3 rounds) and every time they die — too much water. Our neighbor planted river birches along his property line, but I want some hedges as well. Any ideas as to what kind of hedge can withstand lots of water? I would appreciate your help.” – Cristina Elliott

ANSWER: There are a number of plants that like nothing better than a location that keeps their feet wet! When you have a wet landscape, it is pointless to plant shrubs and trees whose natural environment is normal to dry soil as they’ll never live up to your expectations… or even live, for that matter.

Several azaleas (including Coastal, Sweet, Pinkshell and Swamp) like wet areas, as do the Dogwood varieties Tartarian, Silky and Red Osier. In fact, those three can even grow in a certain amount of standing water.

Winterberry, some varieties of Viburnum, Fothergilla and Red Chokeberry are also options, as is Bordeaux yaopon holly, which has the charming scientific name Ilex vomitoria Bordeaux!

There’s an excellent Web site, hosted by North Carolina State University that provides a comprehensive list of wetland-loving plants. Click on each listing and you can see descriptions, details, growing tips and (in most cases) photos. Well worth a visit if you’re dealing with soggy soil! You can find it at www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/quickref/shrubs/shrubs-wetareas.html
As that is a long address, you might prefer to find this column at my Web site www.landsteward.org where you can click on a hot link.

Unless we are very lucky, most of us have issues with at least part of our landscape. An area that is nothing but heavy clay that won’t drain, a deeply shaded section that receives little or no sunlight, or an area baked by the sun all day, for example.

It’s tempting to give up on that area and assume that nothing can be done. But quite often a solution can be found, if you are creative and tenacious like this reader…

“Dear Steve: Thank you for addressing the issue of soggy, boggy lawns, and thanks for your link to Brooklyn Botanic Garden [in a recent Plant Man column].

“I live in Washington State, adjacent to a slope which apparently developed a natural spring which flooded a part of the hill and spread into our lawn this summer. Since our soil is mostly compacted clay, my solution was to transplant about 3 feet of the lawn, break up the clay and mix some topsoil and peat moss to about 10″ deep. I have planted Louisiana iris, plus some evergreen plants (sword ferns and Ogon) for winter interest. It solved my problem and looks lovely!

“I admit this was hard work, but simpler than the complicated instructions suggested by Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I’m not really into hard labor. I think my bog garden will work as well as theirs with about half the work. Just a thought for your readers …” – Anne Botwin

Well, Anne, I’m glad this column inspired you to make lemonade out of lemons… or in your case, a bog garden out of a “soggy, boggy lawn”.

When you’re dealing with a sizable area of heavy clay soil, there’s no getting around the sweat equity involved, unless you have some strong, young friends who owe you a favor and are willing to donate a few hours of hard labor. But the results are definitely worth the effort. When you’re done, you have a thing of beauty where once was an eyesore.

Other readers might want to check out the link to the article at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Web site: http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/handbooks/watergarden/8.html

As that’s a long URL, you might prefer to find this Plant Man column at my Web site, www.landsteward.org, where you can click on a hot link to the article.

In fact, the article is an excerpt from a book that is the ideal reference for anyone looking for help with creating a bog garden. Titled “Water Gardens: Pools, Ponds, Marshes and Bogs for Backyards Everywhere,” it is a collection of highly detailed how-to articles by several acknowledged experts and is part of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden 21st Century Gardening Series.

Another benefit of this book is that different chapters address specific geographic regions with chapter headings such as “Wetland Plants for the Southeast & Deep South” and “Wetland Plants for Western Mountains & Pacific Northwest” so that readers anywhere in the United States will know what will or will not work well in their location.

For example, Anne mentions that she planted sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) in her new bog garden. An excellent choice for her northwestern locale, but I would certainly not recommend it for a bog garden in, say, the southeast. Sword ferns’ natural habitat is the very moist understory of coniferous forests found in low elevations in the northwest. Sword ferns are difficult, if not impossible, to grow in eastern areas.

With bog gardens, as with any garden project, your best bet is to stick with plants that are native to your geographic area, rather than opting for plants that would thrive elsewhere but are unlikely to work in your garden.

Anne used the Botanic Garden article as a starting point but then decided to adapt the guidelines to suit her own preferences. Cheryl and I do exactly the same thing. When necessary we’ll call on experts, such as landscape architects, but we don’t feel obliged to follow everything slavishly. Ask experts, read articles and then personalize with your own creativity!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org