Traffic Island Gardens
PVCA is a proud steward of our public spaces. Our Traffic Triangles have become ecological Island Gardens supporting pollinators and welcoming residents and visitors alike
Fall 2022 - Penn Valley’s largest traffic island. Native aromatic and blue wood asters explode with blooms in October and November. Late season bees enjoy the resources in this garden oasis on the Lower Merion and Narberth Pollinator Pathway. Yellow contrasting foliage courtesy of thread leaf blue star plantings which bloom in spring. All residents are encouraged to join the Pollinator Pathway!
July 2018 - The Bryn Mawr and Old Gulph traffic island exemplifies ecological garden design.
TRAFFIC island @ Bryn Mawr ave and Old gulph rd
In the spring and summer of 2015, Penn Valley Civic advanced a rehabilitation of our largest traffic triangle. Non-native and invasive species were removed and native species were planted. Bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) was chosen for the sunny front edge along Bryn Mawr Avenue, and Blue wood aster (Symphiotrichum cordifolium) and Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) was selected for the back shady section.
Since its initial planting, civic volunteers have since spent hundreds of volunteer hours weeding and planting more native wildflowers. New introductions include Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Eastern bee balm (Monarda didyma 'Jacob Kline'), Aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolius ‘October Skies’), Purple mist flower (Conoclinium coelestinum), Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) and American coral bells (Heuchera americana 'Dale's Strain’). Get close enough, and you'll hear the pollinators buzzing!
After 7 years, the plantings have reached mature size and no longer require mulch. Plants are tightly knit as you would find in nature to help prevent weeds and cool the soil temperature. Civic president and Penn Valley resident, Michelle Detwiler now tends the island as part of her volunteer service in the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist Program.
Dwarf Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Sike's Dwarf') originally planted on the back side of the island were dug by volunteers and happily donated to the wildlife garden of the West Mill Creek Park because they became too big for the traffic island. We’re happy to report that they’re thriving in their new home!
Maintenance of the island includes continual removal of invasive species, regular cutting of the asters during the growing season to improve visibility for cars, editing of self-seeded plants to ensure the desired mix of plantings over time, pathway maintenance, trash removal, re-seeding/re-planting of desired species, and a once yearly cutting back of top growth just before spring. Note that we leave stems and seed heads throughout the winter to provide food for birds, reduce weed growth, and provide habitat for overwintering lepidopteran species. Did you know that areas beneath trees are important overwintering spots for pollinators that emerge in the spring? Landscape stewardship tip: Consider leaving leaves and plantings under your trees to support the overwintering insects that are vital to our food webs as bird food and more.
We're proud that these plantings example the beauty of native American plants throughout the growing season. Native plants are uniquely suited to provide ecosystem services including larval hosts for butterfly species, habitat for pollinators, food for birds and stormwater management through deep roots. Interested in learning more about native plants and how you can incorporate more wildlife value in your own landscape? See this link.
Our biggest challenge with this island is the number of vehicles that run over our pathway every year. For this reason, please be patient if it doesn't always look perfect. Vehicle collisions create a lot of disturbed soil, and it takes time to re-establish plantings. See the photos below for an up-close view of individual species. Want to join the volunteer garden team? We'd love to have you! Email pennvalleycivic@gmail.com
Our part-sun, medium-sized traffic island with tightly knit native plantings kept short in front for good visibility.
Traffic island @ Hagys Ford Road and Righter's Mill Road
In the fall of 2015, PVCA officers enthusiastically renovated our little traffic triangle near Penn Valley Elementary. We chose native perennials that will provide wildlife value and multi-season interest as well as maintain driver visibility at this sometimes challenging intersection. The plants in this island stand up to road salt, regular deer browse and occasional utility work. Plants even include a PA endangered plant called Carolina elephant’s foot (Elephantopus carolinianus). Reflective stickers were placed on the pole to help prevent car collisions at night, a problem in the past. Note that this island reflects the natural seasonality of our area. Top growth dies back in the winter, and lush growth bursts forth in spring and beyond. Volunteers regularly maintain this island. You'll see the following native perennials:
Traffic Island at Centennial and Righters Mill
Expert gardeners and tireless PVCA garden volunteers, Ellen Briggs and June Lauer work to add new plantings to our smallest traffic island.
This little island could use a break from the number of cars and trucks that run over it every year. In the spring of 2017, garden volunteers, Michelle Detwiler, Ellen Briggs and June Lauer weeded this garden and planted plugs of golden ragwort, a deer-resistant, native evergreen ground cover. (Thanks to Ellen for donating plugs from the thriving garden at Penn Valley's own West Mill Creek Park!) We continued to pull weeds while it filled in, but establishment was set back by deep tire tracks. Golden ragwort is a tough plant that will probably continue to come back, but this island will no longer get maintenance attention beyond a regular cutting back by Township Parks and Recreation. Email us at pennvalleycivic@gmail.com if you’re a near neighbor who’d like to help keep an eye on it.