Traffic Island Beautification

[Manalto]

Our little city has formed a group that is looking to focus its attention on clean-up and beautification projects. Our first area of concern is this traffic island (about 35' long) at a busy intersection, currently planted with dwarf yaupon hollies.

The site receives full sun and, although Mobile gets an average of 70" of rainfall per year, we regularly experience extended periods of drought. Planting must be kept low for visibility. 8B.

I have some thoughts about what would work here but am interested in hearing what y'all come up with.

Edited October 24, 2022 by Manalto

[Tracy]

19 hours ago, Manalto said:

Our little city has formed a group that is looking to focus its attention on clean-up and beautification projects. Our first area of concern is this traffic island (about 35' long) at a busy intersection, currently planted with dwarf yaupon hollies.

The site receives full sun and, although Mobile gets an average of 70" of rainfall per year, we regularly experience extended periods of drought. Planting must be kept low for visibility. 8B.

I have some thoughts about what would work here but am interested in hearing what y'all come up with.

It does not sound like there is any irrigation to the island but thought it worth clarification.   On the planting recommendations, I have to defer to folks in a more similar climate.  If it were in my climate zone I would consider a low growing Aloe species with something to contrast in structure with the Aloe.  Pretty worthless suggestion for your wetter and cooler climate.

[Silas_Sancona]

Natives / regional natives ....and a few non natives..  ...Unusual things you don't see everyday there that will draw attention is exactly what i'd plant in a spot like that. No " eh "green bushes / traditional nursery fare..

Short stuff like a mass planting of Rain Lilies / one of your native, terrestrial Orchids ..like Grass Pinks ( Calopogon ) .. If easy to track down.. in a strip toward the front / edges, ...with some Red/ Orange-ish flowered Lycoris ( Hurricane Lilies ) and Crinum mixed in.  Tallest stuff like large -leaved Milkweeds, Standing Cypress, native Hibiscus sp, Wire, Fakahatchee, and or Muhly Grass, and Penstemon  ...anything that will reach a height just under the signs  toward the back / center if you can fit them in..

If they wouldn't get tall enough to obscure views of the signs, could see one of the hardy Chamadorea in there too, but, wonder how they'd do w/ no extra irrigation during any drought- like spells.

....Dressed in some type of eye catching rock mulch / contrasting, larger boulders scattered in the planter to hold weedy stuff to a minimum  for the chef's kiss..

[Fusca]

38 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

If they wouldn't get tall enough to obscure views of the signs, could see one of the hardy Chamadorea in there too, but, wonder how they'd do w/ no extra irrigation during any drought- like spells.

Chamaedorea radicalis fits the bill!  I had one planted in mostly shade in my San Antonio yard and let it go on its own with no supplemental irrigation and it did fine with occasional 110° temps and even survived 9° from February 2021.  I don't know the data but pretty sure Mobile would get more rain than SA!

[Manalto]

Thank you for your responses. I was concerned that it looked like I was trying to get others to do my planning for me but I'm glad I posted this question because I was also looking for the concept behind the suggestion. I tend to deemphasize certain areas of a landscape because I feel that these are areas that you don't want to draw the eye to. Mailboxes, driveways, hatchways/bulkheads, A/C units, etc. are not, to my eye, aesthetically pleasing, so if they cannot be screened off, bland planting (or none) with a focal point nearby diminishes that feature's presence in the landscape and draws attention elsewhere. An argument could be made for either treatment of the traffic island. It is, after all, a patch of land with signs, but it's also unavoidably a focal point. Something beautiful and interesting is what I think the city mothers and fathers are expecting. The challenge, of course, is to find plant material that will thrive in these hostile conditions. No irrigation, and there are often extremes of precipitation - weeks of relentless rain or weeks of relentless sun.  Solving easy problems is not nearly as gratifying as figuring out a solution to situations such as this.

[Chester B]

Because this is a bad spot for plants and probably won't get any love I would ring the edge with an Ice plant (Delosperma) pick whatever color you like.  The next ring in use Yucca filamentosa "color guard" to add the bright color pop, contrasting shape of foliage.  Leave the hollies but at the point of the grouping I would add a line of 3 Nandina "firepower" for further contrast.  All these plants can tolerate extremes and need a minor clean up once per year.  I know "not exciting" but it adds in ease of care, color and should smother out any weeds.

[Manalto]

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

 Ice plant (Delosperma) 

Yucca filamentosa "color guard"

Leave the hollies

3 Nandina "firepower"

I like it. I have no experience of Delosperma in this climate, so I'll look into that. I was thinking yucca, too. I particularly like your suggestion to leave the hollies. They just need a little dressing up and in those tough conditions,  "if it ain't broke" is especially applicable.