I thought I would feature the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Wildflower Program on this post.
The NCDOT started this program in 1985 as part of their highway beautification efforts. Their website has more information about the program.
Wildflower beds are installed and maintained by the roadside personnel. All of the shots in this post were taken on US 40 East in North Carolina.
In addition to the photographs in this post, my wordless post last week included poppies I shot on the highway. I also had a post on my other blog last week with other wildflower shots on the same road trip.
The shot above could be titled, please try not to speed up when I'm trying to take a picture. I like the effect but wouldn't mind it being just a smidge less so.
I often complain about some of the environmental issues associated with over development in my state without regard to consequences.
I am glad, however, that an effort has been made to plant and maintain wildflowers along the highways and preserve at least some areas for natural habitat.
To visit other parts of the world, please go to That's My World Tuesday.
love the different color flowers, and it's nice to know someone is keeping america pretty
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful! Happy Summer!
ReplyDeleteThis highway is really beautiful!Nice to see different flowers, it brings a happy atmosphere for all those that use this Highway!
ReplyDeleteKind regards
Léia
Really, really lovely, colors and beautiful skies are always a plus! Nice to know about the effort to beautify the highways. Great post as always, Carver! Thanks for sharing a corner of your world. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing these plantings of wildflowers. We had them in Virginia as well, and I've seen a few here in Michigan.
ReplyDeletei am all in favor of beautification of the highways...they do a little here in virginia but, budgetary concerns have stopped a lot of it. enjoyed your post :)
ReplyDeletehave a lovely tuesday.
Beautiful colours, Carver.
ReplyDeleteThese flower beds make a road trip more fun. Love it.
ReplyDeleteThese colors are fantastic, all are great photos.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week
Guy
Regina In Pictures
Truly, NC has the best looking highways around. It is a breathtaking sight--the color, the vibrancy. My first thought when I enter NC and see the flowers is, "These people care about where they are." It's awesome.
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely, I've seen similar projects in other states, notably Texas thanks to Lady Bird Johnson.
ReplyDeleteI have driven through NC and seen the beautiful highway flowers. Makes the trip even more enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteAre they just continueing wiht the program Lady Byrd Johnson started or is it a new idea there?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to beautify the highways. Delightful color and eye candy. Hope it doesn't cause accidents.
ReplyDeleteIt is hitting the right balance with the environment. This is a beautiful programme and so good to see it's actually been maintained. It certainly brightens the are and is a boon for wildlife.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful when the authorities actually do something useful and great. Fantastic idea. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful and interesting! Wildflowers are so lovely and pretty. Fortunately people realize more and more that we need these colourful plants. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletewow thats a great initiative from the Dept. of Tansportation folks
ReplyDeleteWow, cracking photos of a brilliant idea. here on the island in spring are verges have wild daffodils. Thanks for sharing your world with us.
ReplyDeleteCarver: What a neat look at the wildflowers decorating the highway.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely drive that must be ..
ReplyDeletewonderful wildflower effort I wish I was the benefactor of such an endeavor!
ReplyDeleteit must be nice to walk by the field full of wildflowers, such a pretty sight.
ReplyDeleteyes that program definitely seems to be working...
ReplyDeleteYour world is colorful indeed! I love the fields of flowers ... even the blurred effects caused by movement down the road.
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
I do so prefer your state's way of managing roadsides to ours. Here theyspray roundup with gay abandon, not only killing the grass. supposedly for fire safety, but also any trees and shrubs which have the audaity to try and brighten our existance.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on POTD Contender!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos; this highway wildflower program is something I was definitely impressed with when I moved to NC 5 years ago.
Jane
I've always wondered at the idea of "planting wildflowers"... isn't the idea that they're supposed to be ... wild? Okay, okay... It's just that as a state employee I'm just a little bit more worried about the state making payroll than planting flowers right now.
ReplyDeleteThey make nice photos though. Maybe this could be Mary Easley's new project, eh? (Did I say that out loud?)
Gah! I forgot to congratulate you on POTD!
ReplyDeleteSo ... congratulations on POTD!
I love that North and South Carolina continue the Wild Flower Program...it makes the highways and byways such a pleasure to travel! Congrats on the Post of the Day mention!
ReplyDeleteSandi
The wildflowers are beautiful, so the statewide effort must be doing well. Can't think of a better road project.
ReplyDeleteWe loved seeing the flowers in the medians of I77 and I95 as we drove through NC over the years. Many other states have copied the idea.
ReplyDeleteI didn't now there is a programm. I enjoy the flowers aside the highways when my husband is driving. I am lucky - I never drive him - so he misses the views all the time and occasionaly complains about it. Hope they can keep up with the programm during the recession because if the revenues go down - the flowers will be the first to go.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I miss North Carolina!! Here from David's with hats off to you! Congrats on POTD!
ReplyDeleteThose wild flowers are beautiful. Now I'm off to find the poppy post.
ReplyDelete