native planting along highways...

16 years ago

i thought perhaps our native fans would appreciate this article. FLA is not one of the states listed, but in fact FDOT is making pretty good efforts to use native-only in its roadside plantings.

the article does not mention the real source of this movement, but aldo leopold (one of my literary and environmental heroes, and, for my money, the most incredible stylist of environmental writing in the english language) suggested exactly this approach to roadside planting in one of his elegies...

Here is a link that might be useful: Horticulturalists Seek to Go Native on Interstates

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Comments (2)

naplesgardener
16 years ago
Thanks for the article. As a native Delawarean who grew up in Florida (and went back to DE) it made me chuckle. Sounds like they need to get their native plantings more finely tuned.
I love to grow natives and I did when I lived at the beach in Delaware although all my neighbors had a green lawn and English style gardens totally unsuited to the location.
I had no lawn just coreopsis, bayberry, dune grass, daylillies (OK not native but they like sand).
I'm happy DelDot is trying to use native plants but the "people"-natives there are very hidebound. They love their grass and they love their mowers.
goldenpond
16 years ago
I enjoyed the article to as I grew up in a small town in NW PA not far from Meadville.I can remember signs along the highway that said VETCH . Never could understand why they wanted it but Oh well.I recently spoke to a Dept of Ag rep for FLORIDA wildflowers.I am getting more info and having him speak to the MGS in my county in the future.
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I made a sign but they claimed not to have seen it. I had two people stop me while I was along the road and ask why they mowed down my pretty wildflowers when there was a No Mow sign right there. I asked the county for a sign but so far, no sign. We do have the Grownative program in Missouri. I'll have to see if they offer signs. But I would still like to use something shorter.At least short than Purple Coneflower. It would be a part sun area as there are large tree up and down the street. Some shorter native grasses, which I know nothing about and something that blooms would be perfect.
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Check out this list at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower website. They were a great help when we were planning our Native Plant Garden. You can print the whole thing, or just pick and choose those closest to you. Janie Here is a link that might be useful: Native Plant suppliers
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native planting along highways...

Comments (2)

naplesgardener

goldenpond

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