WILDFLOWER AND NATIVE PLANT DESIGN
Sara Edi began the design of wildflower and native plant projects under the direction of Lady Bird Johnson, and in the subsequent years have designed wildflower programs for golf courses, roadsides, Walt Disney World, parks, community service facilities and residential projects.
For many years, we have provided design guidance and construction management for projects using wildflowers, native plants and grasses. Our research and experimental projects began in the South and later expanded to include projects in the Mid-West. Over many years, we have developed techniques for optimum soil analysis and amendments. We have a solid understanding for plant and seed selection and placement and how to create successful plant and wildflower communities. We have developed techniques for managing these projects once installed in such a way that ensures sustainable landscapes.
Sweetgrass Design specializes in the design of open fields and covering them in wildflowers. Some of our past and current municipal and government clients include the Environmental Protection Agency for their new headquarters in North Carolina, Zoo Atlanta, City of Newman, Georgia, and the Denver Urban Drainage and Flood District. We have provided similar design services for private developments such as Walt Disney World, Kiawah Resort Associates, Amoco Chemical Company, Dominion Development Company, for their multi-family housing projects.
Further, we have provided design services using wildflowers on six golf courses in Hilton Head Island, S.C. And golf courses at Big Canoe in Big Canoe, Georgia. We coordinate with design teams to provide expertise incorporating wildflowers along greenway corridors and trail systems. Some municipalities we are currently working with are Athens Clark County Commission in Athens, GA., City of Newman, GA., City of Albany, GA., and the City of Alpharetta, GA.
Woodland wildflower designs were begun with research first at our Wildflower Research Center in Cashiers, NC. In 1986. From this, we learned much about the soil and habitat requirements of shade tolerant wildflowers. Taking this information we have used our research to design projects for a variety of clients. Some of our past and current clients include Big Canoe Resort, Big Canoe, GA., Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL., Kiawah Island, SC., River Birch Trail in Spartanburg, SC., along the Flint River for the City of Albany, GA., the PATH Foundation bike trails in Atlanta, GA., and the City of Rockmart, GA.
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, Charleston, South Carolina
Wildflower Program
The project for the Charleston Air Force Base, Military Airlift Command occurred during the first Gulf War, where this base was responsible for airlifting all tanks, supplies, etc. Sara Simmons-Fife’s association with this facility involved the design and construction management of planting all entrances to the base, the foundations for several of the buildings, the high maintenance areas, and the fitness/bike trail with wildflowers and native plants.
The intent was to lighten the spirits of the community and the base residents with multiple types of colorful, vivacious vegetation as well as reduce maintenance and reliance on chemicals, and mowing. Site selection for the plantings was important as the plants themselves attract a variety of birds and wildlife, and as the project is located with airfields, careful consideration was taken to avoid conflicts with runways and aircraft engines.
A variety of sizes of sites were selected for inclusion in the program to include one acre tracts to small areas at signs indicating buildings at the base. Wildlfower seeds were made available to the residents for their private use to plant their individual gardens if they so desired. This enabled the program to become personal for the residents, and was widely appreciated.
WALT DISNEY WORLD, Orlando, Florida
Turf Management Program
While working as Wildflowers & Wetlands, we were retained by Disney to design, oversee and document an experimental program on property to determine feasibility of adding color to turf while reducing mowings. Disney named the concept, "Environmentality" with Jimminy Cricket as the logo character.
In 1996, our firm was contracted to continue the research for the optimum plants to use, and the best installation and management techniques to successfully carry out such a project. At the completion of the project, all the information was provided to Disney in a publishable format for distribution by Walt Disney World.
ROYAL GOLF & TENNIS, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Out of Play, Turf Management Program
Royal Golf &Tennis owns six golf courses in Hilton Head Island, S.C. The services we performed for the developer, while with our former firm, Livingston & Associates, included establishing the golf courses to participate in the New York Audubon Society’s Golf Course Sanction Program.
Out of play areas were planted with seeded color to reduce maintenance, & tee boxes were planted for
color on all 6 courses.
Signature holes were planted with wildflowers and habitat created for birds and butterflies along lagoon and water edges.