Some of the streets in downtown Shreveport, like most of the 400-800 blocks of Crockett, don’t have sidewalks that are wide enough for tree wells. (These streets were not part of the city’s ‘Streetscape’ re-do in the 1990s that widened a number of Central Business District sidewalks).
That left architect Jason Cram with a quandary regarding the buildings he purchased and was working to rehab in the 400 block of Crockett. Though the return to awnings on the two buildings was going to be helpful in creating shade from the sun and protection from the rain, he needed space for something green. He was able to work with the city in pouring badly-needed new sidewalks and asked them to leave open sections that he could turn into planters.
The planters taking shape in the 400 block of Crockett Street.
In front of what will soon be The Glass Hat restaurant, he stubbed out an irrigation system for above ground planters. DDA was happy to join that partnership in providing the planters and Master Gardener-suggested pink muhly grass, a beautiful flowing grass and that creates the look of a pink ‘cloud.’ The pink against the gray and grayish taupe of the buildings will be eye-catching.
The street view, 400 Crockett.
Muhly grass in bloom.
The grass is dormant but will soon pop green and beautiful!
Meanwhile, even more green is coming your way. If you ever come into downtown via the Interstate and Spring Street, you have seen the dead shrubs at the Lake Street entrance. Don’t they just shout ‘Welcome”? (We know the answer, and it’s not ‘welcome.’).
Dead on the left side of Spring Street.
Just as dead on the other side!
I hope you are as happy as we are to be pulling these puppies up and sending them to shrub compost heaven! DDA is working with Tim Hoover, horticulturist at the Shreveport Aquarium, and our arborist Ricky Kilpatrick, to determine the best and most drought & vehicle & interstate resistant shrubs to plant to beautify this area, stat! Hopefully, this is just the beginning, so stay tuned for more.
