Large, flamboyant beds of annual poppies are breathtaking. I regularly drive through Pennsylvania (Penn) and Virginia (VA), two U.S. east coast states, and admire colorful wildflower patches planted along the sides and median strips of their limited access and interstate highways. Departments of Transportation (DOT) from both states see these

benefits arising from highway wildflower programs:

• Attractive highways that are easier to maintain because mowing demands are less;
• Visible litter appears reduced. Do travelers throw a lesser amount of trash along a nice-looking road?
• A reduction in accidents because colorful plantings fight "highway hypnosis" and driver fatigue; and
• An increase in environmental awareness. Wildflowers provide cover and nourishment for songbirds and insects.

Each year, VDOT plants about 2,500 pounds of wildflower seed along Virginia's interstates and primary routes as part of its Wildflower Program. VDOT and the VA Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. began in 1976 to develop this program with the assistance of Operation Wildflower, founded by Lady Bird Johnson during her husband's presidency. In the program's first year, there were 25 plots throughout the Commonwealth; today there are more than 500 acres of assorted wildflowers. My favorite patch is one of corn poppies in the median of I-81 near Dixie Caverns. Readers can request an informational brochure containing a small poster of 14 VA wildflowers from VDOT by e-mailing a request to: publications@VirginiaDOT.org

• Minisrty Of Transportaion

• Home Transportable

• Airline Roll Transport

• Bus Shuttle Transportation

• Airport Corporate Orlando Transportation