A Great Day Planting Tulips

Frank Asher of Old City Green and I extend a warm thanks to all who helped make yesterday's tulip bulb planting happen -- from the volunteers who got muddy and misted on in the gray Halloween morning, to the financial sponsors (Douglas Development, EFN Lounge, Independence Bank, Inle Development, Old City Green,Shiloh Baptist Church, The Nine), to the neighborhood businesses like Azi's Cafe (which provided delicious cider) and Chatman's D'vine Bakery (which provided awesome, fresh made muffins, sweet potato pie and bread), to the well-wishers passing by, it was a fun and productive day of community. In all, we planted roughly 800 tulips, supplemented the soil with nutrients, and mulched 32 tree boxes on Ninth Street between N and Rhode Island Avenue. About fifteen volunteers -- including Shaw business owners, residents and church parishioners -- came together to work on the project.

A great thanks is also due Shaw Main Streets and Alex Padro. The tulip project was facilitated through and in furtherance of the ongoing work of Shaw Main Streets, which, in 2007, brought us the iron tree box guards and loriope that line Ninth Street. Among other things, Alex helped raise money for Saturday's event, helped recruit volunteers, and provided general guidance on its execution.

Hopefully these tulips will bloom for many springs to come, and next fall we can turn our attention to another handful of blocks to receive bulbs!