The roots of a tree have no care for what’s around them or what they may destroy in their path. They simply creep out as they grow, assuming the space once occupied by something else. In the case of Stonecrest Boulevard, which runs through Serenity Point connecting Dam Road to Hubert Graham, this would’ve been the street on either side of the median.
A solution was needed to beautify the median, creating a look and feel that would tie into existing areas of historic Tega Cay. Dustin Overton, Parks and Recreation Department Supervisor and Joe Hedgepath, Parks and Recreation Landscape Supervisor were tasked with ownership of the solution.
Joe and his team originally planted a series of grasses and flowers as a stop gap. The flowers, shrubs and grasses were specifically chosen to prevent deer from eating them. Apparently the deer didn’t get the memo, going against their past behavior and feasting on what had been planted. A new plan was needed and Joe had an idea.
He pitched a plan to Dustin, an 11 year employee of the city and Joe’s manager. Up to this point, Dustin had been struggling with a solution as well, only knowing “we need to do something nice and something long standing.” Not an easy task when you consider budgetary and space constraints. 
Joe’s plan consisted of planting a series of palm trees in the median with bermuda sod and decorative elements to provide a final touch. Dustin loved it, “palm trees fit into the polynesian lifestyle” he thought. As it happens, a palmetto (a type of palm) tree also adorns the state flag, hanging proudly from many of the houses in our city and beyond.
Palm trees, or in this case sabal palms, aren’t actually trees at all. The “tree” is a grass consisting of tiny “fingers” rather than dense roots. Considering how narrow the median is and the fact that palms are deer resistant, the plan was given the green light to move forward.
Sabal palms can handle very high temperatures in the summer months and withstand single digit temperatures for short periods of time. They also require less water than traditional trees, which is a plus given there’s no irrigation system in the median. Although sabal palms reach a max height of 40’ over the span of many years, Joe (a 20+ year veteran of landscape work and 6 year city employee) doesn’t think they’ll get much past twenty.
Adding to this cost effective option, the decorative rocks featured in the design were free, a gift to the city from Eagle Landscaping. Although replanting bushes and grasses was considered, Dustin mentioned they “wanted to add a lot more pizazz to the area, small bushes don’t give you the same effect.”
Asked if the trees would be decorated for Christmas to match the tree lined streets of historic Tega Cay, Dustin was certainly open to the idea. “The primary issue is the power to do this.” With no power source readily available, the city would need to rely on either solar power or low voltage landscape lighting, both of which are potential options down the road.
As is the case with most projects, this particular effort was years in the making. Joe and Dustin are pleased with the results and positive feedback they’ve received so far. Asked if more palms would be added in future, Dustin mentioned, “we’d like to, we just don’t know where and when.”
The next time you drive down Stonecrest, be sure to keep your eyes on the road. You haven’t been transported to Charleston, Beaufort or Hilton Head. You’re simply living “The Good Life” in our little hamlet of Tega Cay.
