Wildflowers Near the Ferry

If you think flower season is limited to just the spring and summer, then you haven’t treated yourself to a fall ride down the Garden State Parkway. Whether you’re arriving at the Ferry from parts north, or leaving after traveling from the South, you’ll be welcomed by fields of purple and pink wildflowers throughout Cape May County on the Parkway.

In October, when many states farther north are deep into leaves changing, South Jersey is still treating visitors to the joys of blooming flowers.  Here are a 5 things you may not know about wildflowers on the Parkway:

1. The nation has Lady Bird Johnson to thank for the proliferation of wildflowers throughout the country. Lady Bird, who served as the country’s first lady from November 1963 – January 1969, made beautification of cities and highways one of her key initiatives. The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 was nicknamed Lady Bird’s bill.
2. The Garden State Parkway is so called because unlike many highways it was designed as a landscaped thoroughfare. Even as one of the busiest toll roads in the country, it is known for its wide green spaces particularly in South Jersey and robust assortment of deciduous and evergreen trees.
3. The wildflowers displayed on the Parkway in the spring and fall can be purchased at gspwildflowers.com/shop in 1/4 pound bags for personal plantings around homes and offices.
4. Wildflowers are not only easy on the eyes, but provide havens for birds, butterflies and pollinating insects.
5. Fall wildflowers on the GSP are pink, but if you come in the spring, the assortment tends toward yellow and orange. In fact, Hammond’s yellow spring beauties are a type of wildflower only found in New Jersey!