My island garden

I can just imagine what you were picturing when you saw the words “island garden.” Alas, for me, you’re wrong. Not only is my island located in the decidedly non-tropical state of Wisconsin, it’s right in front of my house out in the middle of the street. In the parlance of our town, it’s what’s called a “traffic-calming island.” Not an ideal location, nevertheless, it’s free garden space — in a spot that gets more direct sunlight than anywhere on my own property.

Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' (above) continues to bloom in late October. 

The idea is that these raised garden beds, running like a dotted line down the center of neighborhood streets, force cars to jog to the side thus keeping drivers alert while slowing them down. Before the traffic islands went in, my street was pretty much a speedway — a hilly but straight stretch of pavement with no stop signs for a mile. Most drivers have accepted the lowered speed limit as well as the physical changes to the roadway. That seems to be the case with drivers in other neighborhoods as well, judging by the gardeners I’ve talked to around town who tend their own island gardens. 

Alas, there's still a handful of hardcore speeders who travel down my street who have not accepted the changes or don't see them in the dark until it's too late to stop. As a result they now hit the sign in the middle of the island (which barely slows them down) or they bounce off the island's curb and crash into the 160-year-old Bur Oak tree at the end of my driveway, which is a marginally more effective deterrent.

Lilium 'Time Out' from Brent and Becky's Bulbs (above).

Tending this garden is sometimes more along the lines of a sociological study than gardening. As I’m out there on my little mound of dirt and concrete I watch to see which drivers will slow down for this highway worker; and it’s not always the ones you would expect who make eye contact, nod or wave. Some even roll down the car window to offer compliments.

One of the positive side effects of working in the middle of the road is that it also makes drivers realize these island gardens are — for the most part — planted and maintained by citizens. They’re a variation on community gardens. And interestingly enough, neither pedestrians, bikers or drivers have so much as picked a flower from my island garden; not even the flashy lilies. The flowers are left for the community and the commuters to enjoy.

Look closely and you can see how narrow this island is with roadway on both sides of it. My own garden begins at the street curb and slopes upward. There are no sidewalks on this street.

Last week I stuffed 40 tulip bulbs into the crowded bed: ten each of Orange Princess, Orange Favorite,  Prinses Irene and Sensual Touch (from Old House Gardens and Brent and Becky's Bulbs). They’re all orangey reds so, come Spring, they’ll act as mini caution-lights while complementing the bright yellow traffic paint that edges the island. They’ll glow so brightly I won’t even notice the periodic beer can or fast food wrapper that winds up in the foliage. 

Alas they’ll only be visible in the daylight which won’t help the night-blind speeders. I need to find glow-in-the-dark tulips — something, anything — that will spare my island garden and my historic tree any more bumps in the night. 

Among other things, my island garden contains catmint (Nepeta), old varieties of German and Siberian irises, daylilies (Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' and 'Little Grapette'), Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa aureola), Sedum hybrida 'Matrona' and a falling down Echinacea 'Sundown.' The yellow traffic paint on the lily stem gives you an idea of how hardy these island plants need to be. And the passing car shows how hardy the gardener needs to be!

For more about "traffic calming" island gardens, read my Artful Living column in The Capital Times.

Comments

[Susan Troller]

We all owe thanks to gardeners like LB who are making the world more beautiful, more civilized and safer through their efforts.Kudos to every traffic calmer with a green thumb and a great sense of design!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Aren't you a sweetie! I am really hoping those tulips come up OK as they will be a great show.

[Easy and Elegant Life]

Isn't that wonderful?! I saw a lot of this going on in Europe the last time we were in country. We have our tree wells to maintain, here in Richmond, VA; but I rarely venture beyond monkeygrass. Maybe one day.

[joco]

Hiya Linda,

You're taking your life in your hands each time you work there.

I will now worry about you. I am a worrier par excellence ;-)

Fumes AND crazed drivers. Scary.

They have guerilla gardeners in London, who turn up in groups after dark and beautify an eyesore area.

Yours is a more valuable effort, with your long-term input. I bet it cheers up the traffic no end.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Easy and joco — I do think it's an idea that migrated across the pond. And I've read about the guerilla gardeners; actually have their group bookmarked!

Gorgeous day here so I've been outside spreading mulch, deadheading and getting ready for it to be not so nice soon. Ugh!

[colleen]

I love your island garden. I'd wager that it calms the traffic in more ways than one. The claiming of public space by plants and flowers, by design or serendipity, never fails to raise my spirits.
(PS I arrived here via Felix's blog)

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Colleen — I think you are right that flowers and plants always raise spirits. For drivers that means a better mood and then, hopefully, better behavior.

[Dee/reddirtramblings]

I loved reading this. It made me smile as I ate my snack after working in a new garden space out front. I, also, live on a busy street, the main one in our neighborhood. We live out in the country, but that doesn't stop speeders. In fact, it seems to encourage such. Thank you for your tending to the community and sharing yourself.~~Dee

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Dee — thanks for your comments and for stopping by. I love people's gardens that I can see as I drive by. Very encouraging to see folks at work to say nothing of adding a little beauty to the daily commute.