Re: Street Plantings (was Society Garlic)
- Subject: Re: Street Plantings (was Society Garlic)
- From: T* a* M* R*
- Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 11:47:38 +1300
Joe Seals wrote:
>
>
> I also want to note that John is correct in advising
> "regular and careful maintenance" of Tulbaghia en
> masse. Unfortunately, such is not the case in the
> public areas around here. Whacking shrubs into
> angular boxes seems prevalent, yet whacking back
> Tulbaghia every 2-3 years doesn't seem to be part of
> the routine. I see way too many landscapes of tired
> Tulbaghias with yellow leaves and spent bloom stems.
> Occasionally the stems are removed but no one digs,
> divides, and transplant them.
Joe
Maintenance of street plantings is a bit of a problem where I live.
Genuinely public plantings, in the care of the City council, seem to be
generally pretty well serviced, but there are in addition many
commercial firms which like to adorn their entrances with ornamental
beds of various sorts. When the buildings are new someone usually comes
along and puts in an arrangement of, most commonly, small shrubs,
phormiums, cordylines and similar things which to begin with looks most
attractive, but their interest seems to stop right there and five years
later the whole bed is overgrown with weeds (often even woody things
brought by birds) and the original plants have mostly died, outgrown the
site or are pining for a good "haircut". They make my hands itch when
ever I go past them <G>.
Beds outside a row of shops in our local suburb for instance, had some
sort of short-lived agave planted in them. A few months ago these ran up
to poles almost simulataneously and maybe in time pups will grow, but in
the meantime the untidy remains of all the dead mother plants do nothing
for the area.
Interestingly one of the shops, a large hardware outlet, has quite an
extensive garden section. I wonder at the lady who runs this and who yet
apparently lives quite happily with this horticultural mess right
opposite the front door!!
If they are not prepared to ensure at the very least yearly maintenance,
those firms would do much better in my opinion to start by putting down
a bit of ornamental tiling, brickwork, or even a colourful pebble mulch
over concrete maybe. It would certainly please the eye more.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata NZ,
where it's Summer in January and Winter in July.
