Traffic island tragedy

Back in October I wrote about my "island garden" — meaning the plants I'm growing in a raised bed in the center of the road in front of my house. It's part of a chain of islands going down my street and the center of many of the streets in my town. They're actually "traffic calming islands" intended to slow down drivers by forcing them to brake to get around this jog in the road.

There's a metal post with a traffic sign in the middle of the bed in case drivers are confused. They don't seem confused on my street, except about the speed. I've had a city crew come out a couple of times to replace the post, the sign and the big hunk of concrete that keeps it upright, after someone has driven into it.

My island garden at the beginning of the first winter, a few years ago. Though it looks small, it's currently filled with a full complement of sun-loving perennials and bulbs. 

But that was in the summer and in the old days when there were only a few plants in my island garden; mostly iris and daylilies and catmint transplanted from elsewhere. In the last year, I've upped the ante with plants that I've actually bought, like Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' and Echinacea 'Orange Meadowbrite.' Plus the 40 prime tulip bulbs — from Old House Gardens and Brent and Becky's Bulbs — that I stuffed in last fall wherever I could find room. I've been dreaming of all that brightness buried under the snow.

Then last week, a driver ran over the sign again. But this time they flattened it, leaving a huge tire track right through two feet of snow piled on the island. I was bummed, thinking of the city crew and the damage they could do to my little garden next spring when they replace the sign. 

Turns out I didn't have to wait 'til spring. They replaced the sign yesterday. 

I looked out the kitchen window in time to see a lone city employee hacking away in the snow. He was down to the dirt by the time I saw him; an assortment of tools spread out and the sign at the ready. I thought about going out and giving him a piece of my mind — or the flat side of a spade. 

If it had been spring or summer, when I could have quickly lifted bulbs and plants, a rescue mission would have made sense. But not in January. I know he was only doing his job and on a freezing day, no less. My job, alas, was to let him get on with his. 

Is it the end of my dreams about red and orange and yellow tulips making a splash come spring? Did he actually dig up dirt or just shove a new sign into the old cement?  Give me a couple of months and I'll have the definitive answer.

I realize I could just as easily have lost all the bulbs to four-footed pests, but they've actually left this little garden alone since it's inception. It's the drivers — the two-footed pests — who are my nemesis. And it's clear now that there is no season when they go to ground. My garden is at their mercy winter or summer. 

The late winter snow scene: hard, crusty, dirty and piled at least shoulder high at the end of driveways. Those white blobs further down the street are more snow-covered traffic islands. 

Comments

[Pam/Digging (Austin)]

Bummer! The "traffic calming" islands don't seem to be working, do they?

I'll bet you still get a nice show in spring. I'll cross my fingers for you.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Some days I think the islands make it worse, but I like the extra garden space. And I have been amazed at how hardy the plants seem to be. They've really had to put up with a lot stress in that location.

[Wilmer Geraci]

Makes you feel like your work didn't pay off. But then again, the promise of flowers blooming is a ray of hope. I hope it hasn't been run down since they had it up again. They should make a taller one, or at least put in signaling devices on it.