Georgia Magazine - June 2023 - 33

Golden lanceleaf coreopsis blooms delight
travelers near the Interstate 20 and Panola
Road interchange in Lithonia.
Flower power
Here's how you can support the
GDOT Wildfl ower Program:
* Purchase a specialty license tag
(purple conefl ower or black-eyed
Susan).
* Send a donation. Checks should
be made payable to the GDOT
Roadside Enhancement and
Beautifi cation Fund and mailed to
Georgia DOT Wildfl ower Program, Offi ce of
Maintenance, One Georgia Center, 600 West
Peachtree St., Suite 1044, Atlanta, GA 30308.
For more information about the GDOT
Wildfl ower Program, visit bit.ly/gdotwild.
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away trees at Arbor Day celebrations, we wanted to establish a
patch of wildflowers along Interstate 75-something stunning
that would give visitors a positive impression of our community, "
Beason says. " I called [DeGrace], and he put us on the
schedule. "
" We select high-profile, plantable spots that meet certain
criteria, " DeGrace says. " We look for areas that are over an acre,
that are accessible with machinery and not sloped too much
and don't present safety hazards to our workers or to passing
drivers. "
GDOT plants only tried-and-true varieties that work well in
the specific areas where they are slated to be planted. Tickseed
sunflowers, Bidens aristosa, perform best in the northern parts
of the state, while sand-loving coreopsis prefers regions south of
the Fall Line. Bright-red poppies thrive statewide.
" Narcissus varieties, commonly called daffodils-my
grandmother called them jonquils or buttercups-seem to grow
well all over Georgia, too, " he says. " We choose daffodil varieties
that do well in the Deep South. We like to call them 'daffodils
with Southern accents.' "
With Beason's and KCGB's input, DeGrace selected a
spot along high-traffic ramps off of Union Grove Road near
Adairsville. Last fall, GDOT contractors planted the seeds of
purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, Indian blanket, tickseed,
coreopsis, larkspur and Flanders poppy-species noted for their
drought-resistance, durability and aesthetics.
" We can't wait to see what happens this year, " Beason says.
" The plants will bloom from late spring through the summer.
Plus, [DeGrace's] plan includes overseeding this summer with
cosmos, which will give the area a good flush of color just before
the first frost. "
DeGrace finds his work both surprising and rewarding.
" We go out into the field to survey a piece of land located in
the absolute harshest of conditions-dry, hot, compacted, with
pollution from the road-and I ask myself, 'How could anything
possibly grow here?' " he says. " And when we visit a few months
later, it's beautiful and thriving, and I think, 'Wow! Look at that!'
Wildflowers are tough. They're survivors. "
Amber Lanier Nagle is a freelance writer living in Adairsville.
Common Georgia wildfl owers
Wildfl owers are fl owering plants that grow
naturally in the wild with little or no care. Want to
incorporate some wildness into your landscaping?
Match your growing site with species that grow
best in your environment (geography, sun exposure
and soil type). Below are some of GDOT's most
dependable wildfl owers.
Perennials
* Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
* Clasping conefl ower, Rudbeckia amplexicaulis
* Cornfl ower, Centaurea cyanus
* Drummond phlox, Phlox drummondii
* Indian blanket/fi rewheel, Gaillardia pulchella
* Lanceleaf coreopsis, Coreopsis lanceolata
* Mexican hat, Ratibida columnaris
* Narrow-leaved sunfl ower, Helianthus angustifolius
* Prairie conefl ower, Ratibida columnaris
* Showy primrose, Oenothera speciosa
* Threadleaf coreopsis, Coreopsis grandifl ora
* Tickseed sunfl ower, Bidens aristosa
Annuals
* Garden cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus
* Sulfur cosmos, Cosmos sulphureus
* Corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas
www.georgiamagazine.org 33
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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
http://bit.ly/gdotwild http://www.georgiamagazine.org
Georgia Magazine - June 2023

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