VIRGINIA WILDFLOWER PROGRAM

Our mission is to preserve and beautify, as well as enhance and repair what has been destroyed by progress on the roadways of Virginia.

Color is a primary consideration in the selection of what wildflowers to plant. Native plants are used as often as possible. Also, thought is given to what will be eye-catching while traveling at 55 to 65 miles per hour. In March and April, black-eyed Susan were sown in the medians in the Piedmont area. Their bloom will come when the sun warms our days to summer. In May, Virginia blue-bells are showing in our mountain areas. Corn poppies turn miles of median into bright red ribbons of color. In July and August. miles of roadways are colored orange red with butterfly weed and yellow and black by black-eyed Susan. All of these blooms ease the transformation to a bloomless winter. And even then, the native grasses — angel hair, orchard grass, and fox tail turn the roadsides and medians into a golden wheat-colored wave of light. Our Wildflowers Color Virginia program has been a success and is a delight to Virginia travelers.

Our plans for next year include three acres of red, white and blue flowers on the roadway at the bottom of the hill in Bedford, Virginia, where the D-Day Memorial Monument is placed.

Wildflowers now color Virginia from mountains to seashore.

VDOT and the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs have participated in this cooperative project of beautification and restoration since 1975.

Photos and text by:  Pat Brewster, VFGC Operation Wildflower Chairman 1977-2002

VIRGINIA WILDFLOWER LICENSE PLATE

VIRGINIA WILDFLOWER LICENSE PLATE is now a reality and is being displayed proudly on VFGC members' vehicles.  Each purchase of a plate generates $15.00 for Operation Wildflower.

Look for the WILDFLOWER license plate at your local DMV office and on the DMV web site (www.dmv.state.va.us) and support Operation Wildflower.