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July 05, 1984 - Roadside Attractions - Suffolk TimesPage 20 The Suffolk Times Roadside Attractions By PAULSTOUTENBURGH Whenever we travel east or west, our eyes are continually searching the road for the wildflowers that are in bloom. It is too bad the highway departments do such a thorough job in some of our towns by removing the roadside fringe for it is here we look to see continual blossoms throughout the season. It is even worse on the expressway. There, the manicured sterile median and sides are almost void of everything but grass. In some states down south they have experimented with planting wild- flowers instead of grass with rewarding results. Less money is spent and less machinery required which all adds up to savings throughout the state plus the continuous changing bloom along the roadside. Perhaps we might take a few lessons from these southern states in the future. Even though the jaws of the highway department cutters remove most of our roadside edge, there is usually a little left that permits the observer's eye to pick out the color of the day. Right now the most colorful is the day lily that has escaped from our gardens. In some roadside stands it shows up as a long swathe of orange bloom. What is nice about this hardy plant is that it never gives up and seems to be able to make it no matter where it gets a foothold. The BOO G�Jr� Lql� plant not only is a delight to the eye, but in the early spring, when tender new shoots are just coming out of the ground and are still capsuled together, then can be cut and eaten as we do with asparagus. Even now where there's a plentiful stand, buds can be picked and sauteed in butter for another tasty treat. Butter - and -Eggs Blossoming Less showy but nevertheless worthy of mention is the yellow butter - and -eggs -- a plant everyone should know. Its clust- ers of miniature'snapdragon -like flowers are worthy of close examination for they are delicately and beautifully shaped. The tall yellow - spiked flower of the mullein is also starting to flower. It can be identified by its large greyish - green, velvety leaves. Just recently I saw someone using this stately plant to line their driveway edge and I must say they looked handsome. It all goes along with ; rf NORTH FORK Ito f... ARESTAURANT i North Road, Southold between Youngs Avenue & Hortons Lane "The Food and Wine of � Long Island, made from scratch, cooked to order, served with pride." . LUNCHEON 12 -2:30 DINNER 5 -10 SUNDAY DINNER 12 -9 Maio, Credit Cards John C. Ross — Chef /Owner 765 -2111 Reservations DockandBam At The Dock Fresh CLAMS MUSSELS SHRIMP SEA LEGS 765 -3200 ail I& Wolesale o I d At The Barn Seasonal Vegetables WHOLE FISH - FILLETS LOBSTERS CRABMEAT BLEND Main Rd., Southold, N.Y. Port of Egypt Complex Open 9-5 Mon. Thurs. 9 -6 Fri., Sat. & Sun. PEAS KOLRABI LETTUCE TOMATOES CAULIFLOWER ONIONS FAVA BEANS STRING BEANS Port of July 5, 1984 i Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh DAY LILY - -Give it a chance and this plant will show you results far better than almost any other. All it needs is a start and the open sun to produce endless days of colorful orange blossoms. what Emerson once said about wild - flowers:most are weeds until their true virtues are discovered. Even the pesky dandelion that most work so hard to remove from their lawns has beauty if examined closely. And who hasn't been fascinated by blowing the seeds of the dandelion and watching them parachute in the breeze. Another common yellow flower we see blooming is the two-foot -tall St. John's - Wort that has a cluster of nondescript flowers at its head. This is an old herbal plant I can remember my grandfather collecting to make a rubbing ointment. Usually the plant grows in clumps in open fields and along road edges. The common roadside daisy is one of the nicest flowering plants we have. It brings back memories of those days when "she loves me, she loves me not" filled the hearts of the young -at- heart. The blue cornflower, or chicory, that flowers only on sunny days has now started to show itself on its long slender stems. Left uncut, it will grow three to four feet or even more and each day new blue flowers will replace yesterday's blooms. I'm told the root of this plant, when dried and ground, can be used as a substitute for coffee or in some cases is used in a special blend of coffee. POFV Inn Main Road, Southold, N.Y. (516) 765 -1830 RESERVATIONS TAKEN 8 -11 AM 765 -3918 11- 6 PM 765 -1830 Single Units or Small Groups Accommodations Available One Night or Weekly Rentals Overlooking Peconic Bay Convenient to towns, fishing, restaurants, marinas, gift shops and golf. Egypt Of all the roadside flowers, Queen Anne's lace or wild carrot holds a special place in my memory book for it was this wildflower our daughter chose along with the day lily for the large baskets of flowers at her wedding. The large umbrella -like heads of the Queen Anne's lace are made up of minute, lacy, white flowers. These flowers last well when picked and always add something special to any bouquet. She was married in our backyard overlooking the very pasture where the flowers were picked. A more perfect setting would be hard to find. There are many more roadside plants to discover if only we take the time to see them. A whole array of clovers blossom all summer long to the delight of my honey bees along with the mustards, yarrows, milkweed and a host of others to keep the interested eye busy. Let's hope that beauty along with practicality will someday be written into the contract of road builders so that as colorful wildflowers take over our road edges we become more appreciative of the world around us. Music in the Park WADING RIVER -- Twilight Carousel of Music performances have been scheduled for eight dates in July and August at Wildwood State Park, all at 8 p.m. On July 5,19 and Aug. 23, traditional folk music will be performed by Stephen Sanfilippo. On July 12 and Aug. 2, Mr. G — "One Man Band -- Mr. Sunshine" -- will perform. On July 25, Aug. 9 and 16, Band on the Run will be featured. All are invited to the free performances in the camp's parking field. The events are sponsored by the Town of Riverhead in cooperation with the Long Island State Park and Recreation Commission. And on Your Left... Guided tours of the North Fork and the Hamptons are being sponsored this summer by the Long Island Rail Road and the Montauk Bus Company on weekends and Wednesdays. The price of tours -- which includes a train ride to Westhampton, a seat on a bus and lunch at an East End restaurant -- is.$34 per person, children five to 11, $31. Tickets may be purchased from the LIRR Tour Department, Jamaica, Queens, and also are on sale at ticket offices at Penn Station and Flatbush Avenue. Call the LIRR Tour Department at 212- 526 -7782 for information on tour packages.