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Floral Throughways Garden Clubs Help Beautify Roads
Displays of fl owers populating highway meridians, road embankments and adjacent green spaces are often due to the efforts of garden clubs working with state departments of transportation (DOT).
Some of these pioneers also inspire other clubs to pursue similar collaborations, often with public support. “The people of Texas have joined wholeheartedly in
what Lady Bird Johnson started,” says Linda Love, roadside beautifi cation chairperson of the Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. (
TexasGardenClubs.org), headquartered in Fort Worth. Their committee recognizes planting projects on state and county highways assisted by 320 local clubs encompassing about 10,000 members.
She points to particularly attractive areas along highways 75 in
Richardson, plus highways 45 and 35 extending south of Dallas, where concentrations of blue bonnets “look like lakes,” says Love. Other planted native fl ower patches include Indian paintbrush and gaillardia. She notes that the state prohibits mowing of blue bonnets until after they’ve bloomed and dropped their seeds; picking rules preserve their beauty. Gail Hill, chair of The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs,
Inc.’s (
ffgc.org) roadside beautifi cation committee, based in Winter Park, reports the Ella P. Wood Paths of Sunshine Award Program that partners with the Florida Wildfl ower Foundation (FlaWildfl
owers.org) recognizes the efforts of state DOT maintenance crews in establishing and maintaining roadside wildfl owers. “The department has run a strong program for decades,” she says. Local clubs are encouraged to petition elected offi cials for new resolutions to develop roadside wildfl ower projects. “About half of Florida’s counties have passed resolutions, including most recently, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties,” says Hill. This year, the Raleigh-based The Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. (
GardenClubOfNC.org), with more than 200 chapters, is working with the state DOT to commemorate the centennial of America’s entry into World War I by planting red poppies and bachelor buttons. Roadside Development Chairperson Pat Cashwell reports that about 1,500 acres of wildfl owers, including cosmos, are planted annually on state and county highways each summer and fall, largely funded by the sale of special license plates, with awards to highway department crews. “We get letters from people after they drive through the state commenting on the fl oral beauty,” she enthuses. Many garden clubs also establish fl owers in parks, schoolyards, church properties and other public locations.
10 Central Florida natural awakenings
newsbriefs L
earn how You can increase your powers of persuasion and
how others are using their powers to infl uence you. Join Diane L. Ross, M.A., Certifi ed Hypnotist, Master Practitioner NLP and author of Meditations for Miracles, and Peter Parsley, Social Engineer. Peter will share some life-hacking techniques and Diane will lead you in a meditation that will help you access your internal powers. Learn the latest—so that you can harness your inner strengths! On Tuesday, July 25, held at The Winter Park Public
Library. 7–8 pm. $15. For more info, please visit
www.dianeross.com or call Diane at 407 898-7918.
Natural Awakenings Publishers Attend Conference in Orlando
N
atural Awakenings
publishers from around the U.S., plus Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, attended a company conference last month in
Orlando. Highlights included presentations by Michael Aun, an author, columnist and businessman emphasizing customer service and leadership; Adam Brown, a business coach and publishing expert; and G. William James, a professional trainer in wireless business technology. Other sessions unveiled the upcoming magazine redesign, new operations features, revenue-generating ideas and panel discussions led by individual publishers. Franchisees also shared their best practices for local editorial content, annual directories and growth strategies. Community Outreach Director Linda Sechrist announced her three-month Natural Awakenings Wellness Roadie Tour, starting in August, to connect with healthy living authors, sustainability activists and local businesses. “Special appreciation recognized franchisees that have reached signifi cant fi ve-, 10- and 15+-year marks of publishing,” says CEO Sharon Bruckman. Founded by Bruckman with a single edition in Naples, FL in 1994, Natural Awakenings has become one of the largest free, local, healthy lifestyle publications worldwide, serving approximately 3.5 million readers in 84 locations.
The Power of Persuasion Revealed
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