THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
hired four years ago as part of the master plan to be the campus horticulturist and oversee grounds maintenance at the University. He says the crews often work overtime, sometimes nine hours a day, just before Commencement, depending on the workload and how much they've gotten done in advance. In the winter, landscape workers the same hours, doing grounds maintenance, mulching and trimming. He says the work is more worth it when he thinks the community appreciates it. "The students are just awesome up here," he says. "Tulip beds, like in front of Strong, I can just imagine somebody running through or driving through, but the students and public have been fantastic. There has been very little vandalism."
Many students appreciate the campus' landscaping for the way it looks. And though the chancellor's master plan is all about keeping campus beautiful, the planners and crews who carry it out also have to know a few technical things about the area they're working with. They have to consider sun exposure, soil type, the grade of the land and the area's climate. Besides being visually appealing, the flowers have to be able to stand up to the many climactic challenges Kansas presents. Tulips, which are planted in red and yellow all over campus, thrive in Lawrence's climate. So do forsythia, the bushes that recently exploded into bright yellow flowers on campus.
Lang says that planting on campus is a constant cycle that moves with the seasons. Landscapers planted about 14,000 red and yellow tulip bulbs in December—bulbs need a few months before they are ready to bloom—and as soon as the tulips start dying in mid-spring, they'll plant the "summer annuals," which can be anything from red salvia to petunias to marigolds.
But before you start looking for summer flowers, try to take in every spring has to offer. The water lilies and irises will soon be blooming among the weeping willows by Potter Lake, and daffodils are already sprouting up everywhere. If you're graduating in May, breaths it in. Look around at your beautiful surroundings and take the memories with you wherever you wind up. If you're returning to campus, keep an eye out for changes in the future. Corman, the University architect, says the landscape master plan is barely under way, with plans drawn up for a campus-wide pedestrian walkway and the building of more gateways in years to come.
Contact writer at
pworthy@kansan.com
Mowers maneuver through the lawn by Memorial Stadium early Monday morning. Scattered showers passed through the area.