City Greening - A Wonderful Publix Landscape Screen

Most stores on main roadways want maximum exposure.  Driving up and down our city streets we are typically greeted with glaring neon lights, tall concrete structures, multi-colored signs and more of the industrial urban commercialism.

Seldom is the occasion when a major grocery store chain designs a thick screen of native plants between the store and a highway such as A1A her on the east coast of Florida.

A1A Highway & Native & Florida Friendly Landscape Screen, Publix Grocery, Hammock, Florida

A1A is one of the longest, scenic and most historic of highways in Florida and is frequently travelled by many motorists.

Live Oaks, Palms & Cedars, Landscape Screen, Publix Grocery, Hammock, Florida

So it stands to reason Publix would have wanted maximum exposure to automobiles driving past their store in Hammock, Florida.

Instead, even though the store is only a few feet from the edge of A1A's right-of-way, the designers installed a very dense hedge of native shrubs and trees, along with Florida Friendly landscape plants.

Live Oaks, Palms & Cedars, Landscape Screen, Publix Grocery, Hammock, Florida

And you can hardly see the building from the road.

Even though there is a large grocery store and big asphalt parking lot behind the native landscape, the man-made structures are practically invisible to those riding by.

Instead, one is greeted with the beauty of Florida live oaks, palms and cedars.

Unexpectedly, the native plant screen may actually attract more customers by hiding the store.  When I drive by I am aware there is a store there even though I cannot see most of the building.  My curiosity is aroused and I slow to look through native plants at the business.

Maybe Urban Greening actually attracts more customers.

Even so, the native plant hedge provides many benefits to the store and community.  The plants provide habitat for wildlife, sequester carbon, pump oxygen into the air, provide cooling shade, offer beauty and more.

My architect friend, Rob Overly says something to the extent that Urban Greening must start at the doorstep, connecting the roadways with the structures.

Live Oaks, Palms & Cedars, Landscape Screen, Publix Grocery, Hammock, Florida

 Publix has done just that, an excellent job with Urban Greening in the Hammock, Florida location.  To view the landscape and the store take A1A south from Marineland.  The grocery store is a couple miles south of Bings Landing on the east side of A1A.  You'll have to be looking for live oaks, palms and cedars to find the grocery store.