The dog days of summer are upon us and gardens can be looking a bit tired. Shorter days, longer nights and lower night temperatures are signaling plants to begin the shut down for winter.

Annuals are getting pooped out after a couple months of continuous bloom. Regular removal of spent blooms, some careful trimming up and a shot of liquid fertilizer light on nitrogen will coax a few more weeks of color.

Tidy up the garden, cutting back overgrown perennials and twiggy shrubs, cleaning up litter, and removing failed plants. A bit of tidying now will help the upcoming fall display be more attractive. Be sure to compost healthy plant materials for soil improvement next year. Plan where you'll set out color spots of mums, and kale, and pansies.

While preparing for the fall garden, take some time to consider making it more habitat friendly. Beginning on August 15, you have permission to be in front of the TV.

The National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with Animal Planet to create Backyard Habitat, a new television series that makes the planet a better place for animals, one backyard at a time. Hosted by David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation and TV personality Molly Pesce, each episode presents fun and simple ways to attract wildlife to your property, whether it's a balcony in the city or a suburban backyard.

Backyard Habitat airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on the Animal Planet channel. Check local listings for details.

Q: Dear LG, I have a small business location on a prominent main street and would like to beautify the parking strip. The soil is really poor and gets full sun all year. What can I do?

A: Thank you for beautifying the streetscape. While the local government owns "parking strips", adjacent property owners have a duty to maintain them. Obviously you take pride in that duty. Well maintained street frontage adds value to a property, shows old fashioned "pride of ownership," tells customers you care about them, and is just plain the right thing to do.

Since it is public property, most jurisdictions require you get permission to alter the parking strip. Part of that permission may include guidelines on what you can do, what you can plant, and necessary maintenance. Check with your city, town, or county public works, street or road department for any requirements.

Really serious gardeners can enter parking strip gardens in the Pacific Gardens Contest for that category. There are some truly inspiring parking strips in every community.

Before planting, improve the soil with organic matter to retain moisture and add trace nutrients. Add grit for drainage if the soil is heavy or compacted. Then install a soaker hose system and water every couple weeks during dry weather. Now, start planting things that really like drought rather than just tolerate it.

Spring bulbs are an obvious color choice. Many hail from the Middle East where they get winter and spring rains, then drought all summer. Choose species tulips, Iris reticulata, and crocus for early bloom. Check out the vast range of "minor" bulbs, which means just about anything other than hybrid tulips and daffodils. The foliage usually just melts into the soil after bloom time.

The wide selection of sedums offers color, texture, height, and easy care. Ordinary Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum) come in many colors and sizes. Dependable Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is now joined by a host of options including cr