Landscaping and Trees

[soonerliberal]

This is something that has bothered me for some time.

I recognize the geography of the city being on the border of the plains and the crosstimbers, but many other cities seem to invest a lot in landscaping. From the time I arrived at the airport last month, I couldn't help but notice the number of shopping centers and highways that did not have trees or shrubbery in the parking lots, medians, or along the sidewalks. I do appreciate that the airport has done some work improving the arrival and exit drives, but once you get on 54th street, it's barren again! When you compare that to Dallas, Salt Lake City, or even Phoenix, it's quite barren when it comes to intentional landscaping. Even most residential streets in NYC have an intentional canopy.

Simply put, does anyone know why is there such a dearth of landscaping and trees in both private and public development within OKC? I recognize the wind is a concern, but there are plenty of other places with climate concerns that have a large amount of trees.

[Ross MacLochness]

Well, we're working on it... P180 is responsible for thousands of newly planted trees downtown, parking lot guidelines now require a certain amount of trees and landscaping for new builds, and every new home that is built must have at least one tree installed on the property. We are behind for sure, but I think everyone now understands how important trees and landscaping are to a livable place. Also, we used to think that Bradford Pear were good trees so we planted them pretty exclusively in the 80s and 90s and now they are all dying... Behind but aware...

[HangryHippo]

Unfortunately, it just wasn't valued, but as Ross said, things are improving on this front. Like so many other things here, we just have a long, long way to go.

[Celebrator]

I would agree with Ross M, it seems that for years it was neglected but now code requires trees and other landscape elements. However, just because a business plants them, doesn't mean they care for them to see that they grow up and flourish. For example, I already see a bunch of the nice trees planted on the new Aldi property at 50th and May have turned brown--not sure if they are dead already or just drought and heat stressed. But I feel like I see this a lot--plant a nice selection of plant materials but then neglect them when they need the most care in that establishment period. If you don't have irrigation (in good operation) or gator bags (and keep them dutifully filled) with newly planted trees you are going to lose them here. Period. They need two years of closely watched irrigation care. I wish both OKC and Edmond would be tougher on businesses that lose plants early on in their existence and make them replant. Instead they tend to just remove them and leave an empty mulch ring sitting there.

[Ross MacLochness]

↑agree

[KayneMo]

In addition to more trees along city streets, I would love to see more trees and landscaping along the freeways.

[mugofbeer]

more trees and plantings on hiway rights-of-way = less mowing

[Rover]

more trees and plantings on hiway rights-of-way = less mowing

Everything has to be maintained. Areas with planting’s here have tended to go wild...little cultivating, pruning, trimming or de-weeding. Dead bushes don’t seem to get pulled and replaced. And, trees on our medians, street sides, and highways never seem to get pruned, leaving them to look totally unkempt and a fire hazard. Mowing is usually cheaper.

[Ross MacLochness]

I'd love to see the city implement more xeriscaping/native landscaping as well as allowing for more "nature reclaiming areas". Having Native/natural areas requires less maintenance, far less water, attracts more wildlife (beeeees), and I think evokes a sense of ecological identity.

[mugofbeer]

Everything has to be maintained. Areas with planting’s here have tended to go wild...little cultivating, pruning, trimming or de-weeding. Dead bushes don’t seem to get pulled and replaced. And, trees on our medians, street sides, and highways never seem to get pruned, leaving them to look totally unkempt and a fire hazard. Mowing is usually cheaper.

OK, I guess we should just plow it all and leave it dirt. You know, they don't have the ability to do anything right in Oklahoma. They don't mow enough and they apparently can't maintain beds. There have never been successful tree plantings on rights-of-way in OKC so just don't bother even trying. Funny all those trees along the Kirkpatrick must be native. Just do it the cheap way and forget what this thread is about..

It doesnt have to be maintained other than to get the trees established. Like at I35 and Kilpatrick, they can be bunched, then once established, let them be except for occasional drought.watering. It doesnt need to look like a park. There are all sorts of Xeriscaping and drought tolerant things that can be done with little maintenance required. You can also enlist the community to pitch in if well organized.

[mugofbeer]

I'd love to see the city implement more xeriscaping/native landscaping as well as allowing for more "nature reclaiming areas". Having Native/natural areas requires less maintenance, far less water, attracts more wildlife (beeeees), and I think evokes a sense of ecological identity.

^^^^^^^^

[Rover]

OK, I guess we should just plow it all and leave it dirt. You know, they don't have the ability to do anything right in Oklahoma. They don't mow enough and they apparently can't maintain beds. There have never been successful tree plantings on rights-of-way in OKC so just don't bother even trying. Funny all those trees along the Kirkpatrick must be native. Just do it the cheap way and forget what this thread is about...

Pretty dramatic response. But, the truth is there are a number of beds that have been created in the right of ways (check out ones I-44 south of I-40) and they were never taken care of and went back native. And putting trees in doesn’t mean everything around them doesn’t need maintaining... so trees by themselves don’t solve the mowing problem. And yes, trees need maintenance too. They die occasionally, they get bagworms occasionally, they should be trimmed occasionally.

Around here, sloped dirt needs covering or it washes badly, so we need some sort of covering. We just need to do a better job of taking care, no matter what the landscaping, because, no, we don’t do a good job of it.

[HangryHippo]

Pretty dramatic response.

[Rover]

So, you agree... plant a few trees and some love grass, let it go, and all is great?