Beach city has become the new arts and conservation destination

ROBIN NADEAU
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/09/09

St. Augustine Beach, an outstanding arts destination?

It sounds pretty far-fetched for a little city with less than 10,000 population, but it looks as though that just might happen soon.

We already have the Cultural Arts Center, housed in the restored oceanfront building that used to be City Hall.

The City Commission is working out the final details for accepting the generous gift by sculptors Thomas Glover, Marianne Lerbs and other sculptors, to convert our City Hall Lakeside Park into a permanent Sculpture Park.

There also is the prospect of displaying works from other local artists on the mostly blank walls of the 'shot-gun' lobby of City Hall that accesses the various offices and meeting rooms.

At a future City Commission meeting, members of the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee might be approved to be arbiters for the artistic displays that could grace (either as temporary, or permanent displays) our City Hall and environs.

I hope that St. Augustine Beach could also become an outstanding example for Xeriscaping. I feel that we shouldn't be preaching to our citizens that they must conserve water by planting native plants in their gardens that do not require frequent watering, while the city fails to give the good example, and keeps planting sod on city properties that requires not only regular sprinkling, but also mowing, fertilizing and weeding.

If you haven't yet recycled the 'Gardens" section of the St. Augustine Record of July 4, (or download it from staugustine.com/garden), you will find on Page 1D, an article that features pictures of Isabelle Lopez's beautiful, almost care-free garden. She chose her own notably wise way of beautifying her new home. Instead of using the standard grass, she purchased her wild seeds.

Her doesn't have the attendant demand for mowing, fertilizing, watering and spraying with toxic weed killers, all of which are expensive, time-consuming, and air-polluting, not to mention the dangerous run-off into our waterways, which eventually penetrates our drinking water supply.

Readers might ask our agricultural agent, Joe Seward, who teaches classes in Xeriscaping, if they can have some of the seed heads from the wild flowers growing at the County Agricultural Center, (904) 209-0430).

Besides the lovely coreopsis, we have rich diversity of flame-colored wild gaillardias, which seem to thrive especially well near the ocean, as well as blue spiderworts; pink, mauve and white wild stock; white and purple violets; and my special favorite, the lovely small, pink rain lilies, and the more rare zephyr lilies, as well as some colorful grasses.

If we consult the savvy naturalist, Gail Compton, she can come up with others.

Our city is in the midst of construction of a walkway to the beach, along the southern boundary of the Maratea park that we are preserving for the permanent enjoyment of our citizens, visiting tourists and students. Nothing could be more appropriate, in keeping with this natural treasure, than Xeriscaped landscaping of naturally compatible wild-flowers and shrubs.

We might ask the Florida Department of Transportation if, instead of planting grass on the islands that divide our boulevards and highways, they would sew wildflower seeds instead. Someone stated that there were complaints from some citizens that the wildflowers looked "untidy." But, after the seed heads have had a chance to scatter their seeds for the next crop of flowers, they can be mowed (a rare requirement as compared to grass) to tidy them up.

The city might take a poll of citizens' wishes. Readers can let the city know their preference of wild flowers or grass sod on highway medians by calling 471-2122.

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Robin Nadeau and her family came to Gainesville, Fla., in 1959 after various postings worldwide with the U.S. State Department. The family moved to St. Augustine Beach 30 years ago. Nadeau is on St. Johns County's Conservation Committee and the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee. She says she is an "adopted Florida cracker."

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