A road verge, (also verge, boulevard, city grass, devil's strip, nature strip, parking strip, planting strip, sidewalk buffer, tree belt, tree lawn, utility strip, parkway etc.) is a narrow strip of grass or plants and sometimes also trees located between the carriageway (roadway) curb (or road surface edge or shoulder) and the boundary (right-of-way line) of a road.
The land is often public property with maintenance usually being a municipal responsibility; however some municipal authorities require that abutting property owners maintain these areas and also sidewalks.
Benefits include visual aesthetics, increased safety and comfort of sidewalk users, protection from spray from passing vehicles, a space for, benches, bus shelters, street lights and other public amenities. It is also often part of sustainability for water conservation or the management of urban runoff and water pollution and may provide useful wildlife habitat. Snow that has been plowed off the street in colder climates may be stored in the area.
The main disadvantage is the right-of-way must be wider, increasing the cost of the road.
Ujazdów Avenue (Polish: Aleje Ujazdowskie) is a major thoroughfare parallel to the Vistula River in the Śródmieście district of Warsaw, Poland.
Origins of the avenue go to 1724-1731, when King August II ordered construction of the Calvary Road (Droga Kalwaryjska). By 1766 it was already a part of the Royal Route as Belweder Avenue leading to Belweder palace. In the second half of the 19th century many villas and palaces belonging to Polish aristocracy and industrialists were built. After restoration of Polish independence in 1918 many of these houses were transformed to embassies. During World War II it was planned to be transformed into a German district, according to the Pabst Plan. Nazi authorities renamed the avenue to Lindenallee and later to Siegenallee. During the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 the street and the surrounding buildings were mostly destroyed. Reconstruction works lasted until 1955. In 1953, following the death of Joseph Stalin, it was renamed Stalin Avenue (Aleja Stalina). Three years later the traditional name was restored again.
Ujazdów Avenue begins at the Belweder Street and runs for 1.6 km till the Three Crosses Square. It is surrounded by many notable historical buildings, villas and palaces. Notable landmarks include - office of the Prime Minister, Ujazdów Castle, Ujazdów Park, Royal Baths Park, Botanical Garden, Ministry of Justice, St. Alexander's Church and many embassies, including those of Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Bulgaria and Lithuania.