Planting wildflowers along the highway, covering the middle and sides with colour, possibly fragrance, and something that does not need to be mowed, sounds like a great idea. I thought so too. Until I thought more about it.

Wildflowers will attract more insects, small animals and bigger animals to the busiest roads which will not be good for their continued health. Between animals becoming roadkill and people trying not to hit them, it could be dangerous for both.

Seeds from some will create havoc when they blow around. Others cause allergies for people which will be distracting for drivers.

Also, just because they do not need to be mowed, does not mean there is no maintenance at all. People would have to go along a lot of highway to keep plants from growing into the road ways. That would not be free: gas, wages, vehicles and maintenance of vehicles, equipment... Probably other things I haven't thought of yet.

You may think all that unused land could even grow something useful, harvestable even. Herbs could work better than wildflowers. But, still have some of the same issues.

Any plants chosen to grow this way would need to be hardy, drought resistant, grow over spring, summer, and fall (not be dormant and leave bare ground for most of the year - which would give space for all those so called weeds to re-seed and not look pretty), not grow very tall or spread too much. This is probably one reason plants we call weeds are left to grow along the highways.

I love the idea, but it isn't as simple as it seems.

Tis the season for driving along country lanes and finding apple trees loaded with fresh fruit, never picked. Kind of sad those trees that grow forgotten along the road. Once they would have been picked, the apples used in pies or eaten right off the tree. Now people just drive on by and only notice them in passing. Yet those are our history, our heritage.

Next time you see an apple tree stop and pick a few. Some may be bug eaten, but some of the brown patches are only places where it rubbed on the tree branch and not anything you can’t just peel away. It may be the best apple you have ever had, if you give them a chance. Of those I picked almost all were edible, not bug eaten as I expected they would be. One was especially delicious. It’s a shame I don’t know what kind of apple tree it came from.

Would you grow an apple from seed? Have you ever grown a plant from seed? Why not try one, even something tropical or exotic and have it grow by your writing space. Keep your seedling company and let it inspire you with something fresh and growing where you work.

I'm interested in Ontario history, including our rural heritage. (I volunteer with Ontario Barn Preservation).

Today I found several links about heritage apples, forgotten apple varieties and trees in Ontario, and information about pruning and growing trees from the seeds of the old apples you might find on a road trip here and there.

My Mother and Grandparents talk about the apples they used to have for making pies and wonder where they could still find those now. They don't see them sold in farmer's markets and certainly not in stores any more.

I found a few good links and then this book, by Sher Leetooze, "Identifying Heritage Apples Across Ontario". I bought a copy of the book. I'm hoping it will include greening apples. A variety my Mother mentions every year. She remembers them being the first, early apples available each year. They grow (grew) here in Ontario but we haven't found any yet.

Orchard People

The Kitchen Orchard

The Ontario Heritage and Feral Apple Project

Pick some wild apples this year. You could even try planting some of the old trees seldom seen any more. Give them a chance to get a new start and have apples close at hand when you get into pie making mode.