Traffic Control with Native Plants

Sustainable Landscaping at Glen Rock Public Schools

At the one school we service within the Glen Rock Public School System there was an area that was being utilized as a “cut through” from a parking area to the entrance and to better control traffic flow in a public space for safety and efficiency we were asked to implement a planting of shrubs and perennials utilizing native plantings within the scope of the layout.

As foundation plants within this bed we chose to plant three Viburnum dentatum ‘Chicago Lustre’ which have an upright-rounded habit and glossy dark-green foliage; creamy white flowers appear in June, followed by ornamental clusters of blue-black fruit in autumn.

Native Americans reportedly used the straight stems of this species for arrow shafts, hence the common name “arrowhead” that it is often referred to as.

We chose a variety of plants compliment the viburnum and fill in the bed with color throughout all the seasons. William Penn barberries, a drought tolerant plant with alternate, simple, lustrous, dark green leaves with a bronze winter color and grows to a height of 3 to 4 ft were planted. Seldom damaged by deer and animals because of their prickly spines that grow on their stems.

We added color by utilizing achillea “yarrow” planted in masses and with clusters of snowcap daisies, another dwarf plant, astilbes with their feathery plumes, anemone “pamina” with Semi-double poppy-like 2-3″ flowers with overlapping rose-pink petals and yellow centers on graceful wiry branching stems and blooming into October.

Geranium Max Frei, a species of Geranium is excellent as a border plant and another long blooming perennial. Deep pink flowers bloom in spurts all summer and show great fall color as well. These are complemented with Aster “pink woods” which has a neat mounding habit and pink flowers with radiant yellow centers. A very tough and durable cultivar selected for its six-week bloom period and its incredible resistance to mildew.