Driving south through the Carolinas in May, long, monotonous stretches of highway were enlivened by fields of wildflowers along the sides and in the medians.  They seemed to be the perfect, natural expression of springtime optimism.  In reality there’s nothing wild about the wildflowers.  The beds are overseen by the states’ wildflower agencies, of which the North Carolina DOT Wildflower Program seems to be the most accomplished.

These plantings owe much to the work of Lady Bird Johnson.  She was instrumental in passing the Johnson administration’s 1965 Highway Beautification Act, which governed the development of roadsides, and, long after she had left public life, established the Lady Bird Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.  I’m not sure how her efforts were perceived in the 1960’s, when she began, but I can imagine that they were considered entirely suitable, superficial First Lady hobbies.  The truth is that Lady Bird’s ideas are right in sync with current landscape trends and LEED imperatives, which emphasize native plantings to promote water conservation and soil retention.  The flowers are a powerful, lyrical legacy.