I had this pic up last year as I was so impressed with Deerfield Beach and its beach.
Only Coconut palms, pavers (not monolithic slabs that the developer wants to install at our beach) as well as real green grass, not the xeriscaping that Lake Worth is promoting, thanks to all the "greenies" (Cara Jennings and the Mayor).
You can't find anything much more lovely than this beach.
Eh hem, the "developer" you mention is the city.
ReplyDeleteGee, Thanks, Wes for your thoughtful comment.
ReplyDeleteSeashore Paspalum grass as seen at Deerfield IS xeric. You do appreciate landscape appropriate for Florida, yes? Or do you think irrigation provided by RO water makes more sense?
ReplyDeleteSince you're addressing me personally, Russ, I think that whatever can get LWorth's maintenance crew to do less work so that they don't screw it up is probably best. I have no idea what kind of grass is used in Deerfield. If it is xeric, that would do well in Arizona's desert. Primarily this was about the trees, not the grass. As long as we HAVE grass and it is green, I would be happy. I'm not counting on anything at the LW beach redevelopment other than losing decal parking anywhere I choose.
ReplyDeleteNaturally you were addressed personally... it's your blog, and the comment is a brief rebuttal to your un-informed premise that xeriscaping is somehow a poor solution to greenspace along our shoreline. Please also note that Deerfield long ago built on it's protective dunes, as did many communities in our
ReplyDeletestate before they knew better.
Xeric literally means "dry", but in the context of landscaping the word is used to describe plants adapted to seasonally dry or changable environments. Not desert... there is a considerable difference. Even desert plants need moisture but store and use it differently. In Florida, seasonal changes are less stark, but still the only fresh water is what falls from the sky. Paspalum is a salt-adaptive native grass that grows in sand; it's likely the U of F developed hybrid that you see at Deerfield beach, also cultivated at a certain forward-thinking golf courses around the State. It's hardy, requires only minimal irrigation (with brackish water) and weeds can be killed with table salt. A natural solution to durable turf in an unhospitable location. Sabals, palmetto, mahoe, sea oats, beach morning glory, seagrape and cocoplum are among the native flora suitable for our area. Coconut palms are not native any more than the majority of people that live here. In fact, they are maintenance intensive (like most transplants) as well as susceptible to disease because they aren't native.
But then, something like that isn't an issue since among several glaring miscues, our beach "redevelopment" plan (sic) violates the coastal boundary setbacks. If your idea of a "lovely" beach is a manipulated and manicured expression of some idealized oceanfront, with no consideration of native flora and fauna but easy automobile access for users, you'll be pleased with the result should the current proposal be executed. The all-important decal will surely be the sop to guarantee support for that white elephant... but it's YOUR beach.
More thoughtful, reasonable examples of public beaches that address most of the issues side-stepped with the casino plan are close by: at Boynton's public beach or just north, Phipps Ocean Park. You'll have to pay... but that's because you don't live there. Boynton's residents naturally get decals just like ours, because that lovely, ecologically planned, quiet, family friendly place is THEIR beach.
Get over yourself. And this blog, was about palm trees. I repeat--PALM TREES. I am happy to know that you are some expert on twigs and stuff and on beaches in general. But no one cares but you.
ReplyDeleteRuss, I'm with Lynn. I love coconut palms. We can have a mix of palms and shrubs. Sea grapes are a messy bit##h of a plant. I love them,but THEY ARE MESSY !Like it or not,the TOURISTS come to see coconut palms!Yes, they will have to be maintained. What a new concept for Lake Worth. Get over it!I 'm still pissed that my decal parking got sold to the county! I would park RIGHT ON THE BEACH if I could!People like you like to use their "knowledge" to bash people over the head,not help a situation.I'll bet you're one of those people who also believe that the ideal situation would be that messy ,bad ,non-native humans shouldn't even be ALLOWED on the beach.Russ,go reduce your carbon footprint!!
ReplyDelete