Floral Map of Alabama

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postcard view of the Floral Map of Alabama

The Floral Map of Alabama was a feature of Linn Park in the mid-to-late 20th century. It was planted in a large, square bed facing Birmingham City Hall, west of the central fountain. The bed was laid out with a border of yellow flowers forming the outline of the state of Alabama. Inside the border was a field of dark red plantings, with additional spots of yellow flowers marking major cities and dark blue-green plantings indicating major rivers.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s Birmingham Park and Recreation Board horticulturist Carl Mattill prepared the planting designs at the city's Spain Park Nursery. He created a special "Big Red One" design for a visit by 1st Infantry Division commander Jonathan Seaman in 1968 and an All-America City shield recognizing the honor bestowed by the National Civic League in 1971.

At some point the central section of the map was covered over by a large Confederate battle flag.

In 2009, at the direction of Mayor Larry Langford, the floral map was revived, on the same side of the park, but closer to the central fountain. This time instead of cities and rivers, the outline of the state was planted with blue pansies with a big white star in the center outlined in yellow and two smaller white stars in the northeast and northwest corners of the map. The southern half of the state was planted with green letters reading "REACH FOR THE STARS" on a ground of brown pine bark mulch.

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