Snapshot: Roadside Lupine

One enthralling aspect of writing a book about roads and nature is that the world suddenly blossoms with odd interactions and novel ecosystems. Once you’re attuned to how our transportation infrastructure alters landscapes, every walk or drive becomes an occasion to observe some strange geo/hydro/ecological dynamic. To wit: I’m fascinated by roads as concentrators of water and stimulators of vegetative growth. Rain falls on peaked roadway; sheets off impermeable surface; and irrigates plants in adjacent drainage ditches — as in this roadside strip of lupine, which I photographed earlier this year near Phoenix. Roads become linear wildflower corridors wending their way across otherwise austere landscapes, brilliant floral ribbons threaded through muted greens and browns.

Have you noticed any surprising relationships between roads, water, topography, and plants? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.