Shaw in Bloom

Commissioner Chapple’s forum has two new posts relating to gardening, a topic on my brain a lot lately. The first post is about splitting perennials (I must admit I’m unsure what, if anything, in my humble plot of land constitutes a perennial. I don’t think anything does, unless that grassy stuff that sprouts purplish flowers counts). The second post is about upcoming events at the Seventh Street Garden*, a really cool asset to our neighborhood.

With my mind focused on working in the dirt rather than walking through the snow, I thought I’d give a shoutout to some inspiring banter on one of the Yahoo! Group message boards from a couple months back. A few neighborhood residents have transformed the tree boxes and otherwise barren plots of land at Scott Montgomery Elementary (at 421 P Street) into beautiful flowering gardens for the community—and for the school kids—to enjoy. Working with neighbors, friends, the school and others, these great citizens have purchased and installed iron treeboxes, tirelessly weeded and mulched, planted flowers and plants, and taken care of these areas since 2005 2001. I’m sure they’re eager for warmer weather to get back to it, and I can’t wait to check out their work in full bloom in a few weeks.

Before our Neighbors' Intervention:
After our Neighbors' Intervention:
What great neighbors! I'm now on a mission to find a little plot of public land near me needing a little neighborly TLC. Anyone near Shiloh interested in joining in?


*The Seventh Street Garden is a community food garden wherein low income residents learn to grow, utilize and market local, seasonal and affordable produce will greatly contribute to food security and economic opportunity in this community. It seeks to educate and engage youth and adults, instill a sense of neighborhood pride where ideas can flourish, senses will be engaged, defenses will be disarmed and multi-disciplinary educational opportunities will abound. Volunteers are needed.


PHOTO CREDIT: Photos of Fifteenwren on Flickr, available here