Late summer road trips are my favorite. Even the most boring highways – and all the ones we take are, because speed and efficiency is valued over scenery – are enlivened by vibrant, irrepressible stands of goldenrod, often cropping up just past where the roadside brushhogs have shaved the ground to stubble.
I have to say I enjoy these sightings more than viewing my garden goldenrod, which is lovely, but simply can’t provide the abundant waves I see along the road. It is very difficult to get pictures of this because highway travel is too fast and it’s not so easy to stop, but I always try, and my poor attempts are shown here.
Having said that, some might like that blurred effect. I found a hilarious roadside flower guide online, entitled “A Field Guide to Roadside Wildflowers At Full Speed,” that shows the plants exactly as they look when your car is whizzing by. Its rationale: What good is a field guide that relies upon the characteristics of tiny hairs or even minute differences in leaf or petal shape when a flower is seen from a car traveling 70 miles per hour? The world desperately needs a guide that illustrates and identifies characteristics of wildflowers as most people actually experience them. This is that guide.
Think about a Monet, but painted without his glasses (if he wore them) and during an acid trip. Or maybe just an intense cannabis high. That’s pretty much what the pictures in this guide look like.
Personally, that kind of experience does not satisfy me and I was able to convince my husband to pull over in a couple safe places. Though I hate the pictures just the same.
The solidago is often mixed in with what I assume to be purple loosestrife, native aster varieties and sometimes some ironweed, but that strong yellow can rarely be overcome by any of these. The goldenrod is what you notice.
I also notice it closer to home in neglected lots, inhospitable back alleys and in between houses. These are the kind of flowers you value, much as I value any spark of grace and beauty that takes my mind away from current events. Winter will be tough. I’m going to need to find goldenrod’s equivalent during those dark times.
Fortunately that seems far away. In my garden, the goldenrod is just beginning to bloom.
But no reference to Nick Rivers painting on a fast train (Top Secret, 1984)?
Did not know that one! Or I forgot it if I did.
Thank you
My plant taxonomy taught us to reconnize things at 60 mph so i am pretty useless at using a dichotomous key. But I’m pretty good at identifying at a distance.
Reflections like this are the reason I’m still reading Garden Rant after many years. My state, Maryland makes some effort, I believe, to encourage the sturdy natives in medians and rest stops so we have waves of black eye susans everywhere from mid summer on.
Sending love to all you ranting contributors for keeping gardening down to earth.
A nice bit of pondering on the beauty of roadsides in fall! The various asters and “fireworks” goldenrod are blooming in my garden and delighting me. But what I’m enjoying even more is the large clump of goldenrod that showed up on its own in the back corner where I have compost and mulch deliveries dumped. It’s glorious! And I’m cutting it for bouquets without a second thought. A bit of highway beauty right in my own back yard. I Chelsea-chopped it early on, so it’s marvelously bushy.
I’m anxious about the coming non-gardening season ahead, as well Elizabeth. The distraction our gardens offer from all the craziness in the world is impossible to put a value on! Indeed, Winter will be tough.
I couldn’t agree more — was just thinking this yesterday as I whizzed by on the way to pick up some groceries. Nature does big well. — MW
Thanks All for informative and entertaining plant discussion. Even though I no longer have a garden to tend I am a serious watcher of roadside gardens, and all that blooms now, including corn fields!
Hello from Bucks County, Pa!
I’m looking forward to a long October drive up to Kentucky from Texas. So many roadside flowers to see! The strangest thing I’ve seen from the roadside view was Stonehenge, on Marianne’s recent UK trip. Passed the stone circle in an instant, but somehow I snapped a picture. It was great leaving the driving to others, so I could focus on peeking at all the neighborhood flower gardens.
As a third generation cut flower grower, my primary interest in wild plants was twofold. Would it hold up in a vase? And, could I ship it out of water? My formal training, after 15 gap years from university, was a wildflower ID course at Concord College in Athens W Va, the “labs” consisting of white knuckled drives on switchback mountain roads in the professor’s Rambler wagon. Brownie points were awarded to the most interesting plants spotted. Indian Paintbrush jumped out nicely, as did Orange Hawkweed. Walking Fern on the rock outcrops not so much. Stopping in the middle of the road on a blind curve just added to the excitement.
Your description of goldenrod lighting up our highways is beautiful. The way wildflowers reclaim road edges inspires me to see beauty in unexpected places.
Our garden club is interested in having Elizabeth speak at one of our meetings.
Would you please contact me? Thank You