La Rue Road median update
Early in 2014, teams from the Arboretum and Public Garden, including Grounds and Landscape Services, assembled to plant the northernmost section of the La Rue Road median with plants selected for their seasonal interest, water-wise qualities and long-term durability. When selecting the plants used for this project, Ellen Zagory, director of public horticulture, also wanted to make sure the flora blended well with surrounding landscapes. Note the repetition of the Calamagrostis acutifora ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass both in the median and as part of the student dormitory landscapes across the street.
In order for this landscape to blend well with the surrounding areas, grasses that appear in the median also appear in the student dormitory landscape across the street.
If you happen to see the median in person and notice an empty island triangle as you cross La Rue Road at Russell Boulevard, fear not! That area is being held for our partners at the UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture who are planning to use that spot as a testing ground for a flowering plant that needs little to no water—it’s a good thing because that part of the median is not equipped with any irrigation!
The final portion of the median is scheduled for planting this fall. For more pictures, see our PHOTO GALLERY of this project.