Saying goodbye to family and friends is always hard, in whatever way they leave our lives. My way to cope is to plant something in their memory, a tradition I learnt as a child. After World War 2, the Tasmania people planted an avenue of trees from Launceston to Hobart along the Midlands Highway, to overcome their conflicting emotions, loss of loved ones, while also celebrating the return of loved ones.
I also have conflicting emotions with the widening of the Midlands Highway. Yes, we can celebrate a highway that will be safer and easier to travel, and grieve the loss of memorial trees, who have lost their lives in this action. But its even harder saying goodbye to many of my native plant friends growing along the roadside verges, from ground covers to trees. These plants have stood witness to my journeys and brought me so much joy as I watch out for their flowering throughout the year.
Roadside verges are linear strips of what once grew in the area. They are important reminders of the past. Although these strips seem insignificant, they are important linear reserves for our native plants, and for future generations to know what was here. There is a small reserve at Conara, wedged between the railway and the highway, a tiny almost insignificant area. But this area is significant, it is a celebration of the tail end of the once greater Epping Forest. This area contains 111 different species.
So we soldier on, celebrating the life of these plants and the pleasure they brought and grieving their loss at the same time. In the meantime, I collect the seed, grow their offspring and plant in their memory.
A plant list for this tiny reserve can be found under Plant Lists.
I also have conflicting emotions with the widening of the Midlands Highway. Yes, we can celebrate a highway that will be safer and easier to travel, and grieve the loss of memorial trees, who have lost their lives in this action. But its even harder saying goodbye to many of my native plant friends growing along the roadside verges, from ground covers to trees. These plants have stood witness to my journeys and brought me so much joy as I watch out for their flowering throughout the year.
Roadside verges are linear strips of what once grew in the area. They are important reminders of the past. Although these strips seem insignificant, they are important linear reserves for our native plants, and for future generations to know what was here. There is a small reserve at Conara, wedged between the railway and the highway, a tiny almost insignificant area. But this area is significant, it is a celebration of the tail end of the once greater Epping Forest. This area contains 111 different species.
So we soldier on, celebrating the life of these plants and the pleasure they brought and grieving their loss at the same time. In the meantime, I collect the seed, grow their offspring and plant in their memory.
A plant list for this tiny reserve can be found under Plant Lists.