<p>Nice story in the Crimson White.</p>
<p><a href=“http://cw.ua.edu/2014/02/12/campus-in-bloom/”>http://cw.ua.edu/2014/02/12/campus-in-bloom/</a></p>
<p>These folks also help with move in/out, major events, etc. Nice job!</p>
<p>""
Composed of 80 employees, the grounds department maintains every flower bed, tree, bush and grassy spot on campus. The employees plant 100,000 flowers every year, including 70,000 tulips. The cost of flowers alone is $40,000, noted Bryant Anderson, director of grounds for the past two years.</p>
<p>“It’s a good budget,” Anderson said. “They’re very nice to us. We’re not lacking for money.”</p>
<p>(See also “Facilities need to reflect UA growth“)</p>
<p>The tulips are planted in the fall to bloom in spring, but all of the other flowers were grown elsewhere and shipped in for display. UA horticulturalist Chrissy Plowman said the tulips, planted in about half of the beds, are imported from Holland. The President’s Mansion is planted with salvia in the spring.</p>
<p>“That’s what Mrs. Witt [wife of former UA President Robert Witt] liked and we kept it. Salvia in the spring and multi-colored pansies in the fall,” Plowman said.
“”</p>
<p>More about keeping our campus beautiful…</p>
<p><a href=“YouA moves from Youtube - The Crimson White”>YouA moves from Youtube - The Crimson White;
<p><a href=“YouA moves from Youtube - The Crimson White”>YouA moves from Youtube - The Crimson White;
<p>A few images of the quad:</p>
<p><a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama;
<p>So thankful for the vision and dedication that make our campus so beautiful! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>I’ve only been on campus a total of 6 times, but these visits have been across all seasons. To me, the Quad grass is strange - like very barren (possibly due to tailgating and other activities). It is not a lush place. I do not see people just sitting in the quasi-dirt patches, enjoying the sunshine, like one does on idyllic brochures. Don’t get me wrong: UA is a very pretty campus…but I was surprised at the shape of the main quad, from a landscaping perspective. To me, the prettiest places on campus are the Ferg fountains, the Crimson Promenade, the Marrs Spring hill area, and the Woods Quad (with the rusty robot scupture).</p>
<p>Just highlighting a stat in one of the links posted above:
“Well before [prospective students] ever get to a classroom or talk to an administrator or professor, they’ve made up their mind…Sixty two percent make their decision within the first 15 minutes.” Touche!</p>
<p>“To me, the Quad grass is strange - like very barren (possibly due to tailgating and other activities). It is not a lush place.”</p>
<p>You nailed it. Tailgating, combined with the fact that bald patches are for the most part in shaded areas not getting a whole lot of sun. Grounds tries their best to repair the patches in the spring. I think they would just cover the patches with pine chip or mulch, but that would reduce tailgating area.</p>
<p>The non tree area on the quad does have grass. But the heavily treed areas can’t seem to keep grass because of shade.</p>