Planting The Highway Median

If, as Mahatma Ghandi said, “Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress” then I would like to help us along on our journey by strongly disagreeing with Joe Ronsley, Mary Comber Miles and others who support the idea that we should only utilize native plantings  in the median on the new highway through Lions Bay.

A stunning feature of our village is, in my opinion, our entrance which has no native plants other than perhaps a dogwood tree or two.

Newer residents may be surprised to know that this was designed and created, under the guidance of a former head gardener from the Butchart Gardens, by a group of volunteers including Louis Peterson  and Shirley Stokes many years ago.

Every time I enter the village, my eye is automatically drawn to this bank   which has required very little maintenance, has provided a blaze of colour, and has continued to stand the test of time, enhancing our own natural beauty throughout every season for almost 40 years. Why, therefore, would we not choose  what we can be sure will work and continue the theme along the highway median, perhaps adding  some winter and summer heather and a few  seasonal bulb plantings for extra interest and colour?

 I risk being labeled a philistine for making such an outrageous suggestion, but I am very respectful of and reasonably knowledgeable about our native plants and how they fare in different environments. I, too, strongly believe that we must do all we can to protect them.

Mahonias do well in  a forest setting, but  in full sun  without  moisture and protection from surrounding trees the leaves tend to dry and turn brown. Vine Maple, I agree, is very showy in the fall but out of a forest environment, standing alone, it would look very spindly in winter as would The Red Flowering Currant which is also deciduous. I agree that the Aquilegia, our wild columbine, is an exquisite flower, but it would hardly be appreciated by drivers passing through at 60 km. per hour.

If everyone was in agreement with Joe, we would be deprived of the sight of  the cherry blossom trees  that  line Vancouver’s streets , the magnolia blossoms and spring bulbs through Dundarave, the heather banks on the highway through Furry Creek and, of course, our beautiful daffodil bank by the community centre which probably makes Joe cringe every time he passes.

 I ask you. Is it really such a sin to suggest non native plants?   

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