The summer of 2024 has been a long, hot, dry one. Keeping gardens healthy and green has been a real challenge. The combination of intense heat and lack of precipitation have left Hill residents scrambling to keep our gardens looking healthy and alive.
Still, as tough as the summer has been, there are some silver linings and even the dog days of August offer many opportunities to enjoy our gardens. For example, there are reports of record vegetable crops in our community gardens and the bounty is being shared with all. Meanwhile in Lincoln Park, gardeners have been nursing their flower urns keeping the park beautiful for everyone’s enjoyment.
Flower shops have hosted summer sales, and plans for DC Plant Week, August 18th through the 24th, are gathering interest across the DMV. Exhibits at the US Botanic Garden highlight some of the garden innovations by DC neighbors and the combination of art and flowers are worth a trip to the bottom of Capitol Hill.
Happily, our Crape Myrtle trees that were sidelined last year with crape myrtle bark scale seem to be making a comeback. The disease is caused by a bug that sucks nutrients from the trees leaving black sooty mold that can eventually kill the trees. But the beautiful pink, purple and white trees are again blooming in all their August splendor.
The Lincoln Park Urns
Local garden volunteers help make Lincoln Park a place of beauty by planting the dozen urns that line the middle of the park between the two famous statues. This summer the National Park Service hosted a 50-year celebration of the Mary McLeod Bethune statue at the eastern end of the park. Urn volunteers plant their assigned urn with their own funds and throughout the current drought, they hand carry water every day from their homes to the park to keep the plants alive and blooming. To call it a labor of love is an understatement. The group networks through a fun, chatty newsletter and many bond as their dogs run in the grassy park in early morning.
Once a summer, there is a potluck party and The Golden Watering Can is awarded to one lucky urn volunteer. It is all in fun and this year’s winners were Martha and Roger Evans. The judge was the new president of the Capitol Hill Garden Club, Dare Johnson Wenzler. “I am so impressed with the creative looks of all the urns,” said Dare, “but even more in awe knowing that everyone has to haul their own water.”
Gardening Local at US Botanic Garden
This summer the national US Botanic Garden is featuring four local organizations that are playing significant roles in providing plants, agriculture and food to their wards and neighborhoods. Devin Dotson, Senior Communications Specialist at the US Botanic Garden, says the groups were chosen for the “culture, history and workforce development.” The groups participating are City Blossoms, Building Bridges Across the River, the Green Scheme, and Washington Parks and People.
The exhibit runs through the end of August and is an outdoors installation on the USBG terrace at the front of the Conservatory. The DC agricultural scene has really taken off over the past five years, with many programs and partnerships developing to use public local greenspaces to produce food. The exhibit demonstrates how advanced the DC agriculture scene has become, with a solar dehydrator on display, along with a replica of the 11th Street bridge. Many of the programs have incorporated environmental and educational programs for children based both in and out of the schools. The Washington Youth Garden at the US National Arboretum provides many workshops and curriculum for local teachers to attend each year and is a resource many of the organizations lean on to jumpstart their own programs.
The outdoor exhibit is also filled with children’s art full of explosive colors inspired by the flowers and gardens the children use. Marvin Gaye Park in Ward 7 has long been an inspiration for music and art, and the children have created abstract paintings of garden tools and neighborhood highlights. The combination of flowers and art is a treat for all to enjoy.
Staying out Late
Both the Botanic Garden and US Arboretum are extending hours in August to encourage residents to get out and enjoy the beauty of the August flowers and
Crape Myrtles. The Arboretum will stay open until 8:00 p.m. on August 23. Check out the Friends of the National Arboretum website for September events, including the annual Dinner Under the Stars, September 17, 2024, https://www.fona.org/events_programs/. Sign up early, as the event often sells out.
The US Botanic Garden also extends hours in August. The garden will remain open August 15, 2024, until 8 p.m., for visitors to enjoy the golden hour and sunset amidst summer flowers and the USBG plant collection from around the world. Lemonade, botanical non-alcoholic mocktails, and snacks will be available for purchase.
DC Plant Week
For the third year, DC Plant week is about to begin, and is being organized by Capitol Hill store, REWILD, located at 232 7th Street, SE, at Eastern Market. DC Plant week is August 18-24. It’s a celebration of all things green, showcasing the best local plant shops, exclusive deals, workshops, and events. The kickoff is August 28th at the REWILD warehouse and there will be a silent auction to bid on the most extraordinary plants and terrariums. Those attending last year say it is the best creative plant party of the year. All proceeds from the auction City Blossoms.
Besides finding great deals on houseplants, there will be several workshops for adults and kids on caring for your plants, and highlighting natural decorations for your home. One special workshop is to introduce a new local soil alternative called PLUVR. It is a new local brand creating soil using DC restaurant compost! To check out all that is happening sign up at https://www.dlantweek.com/events
Free Vegetables
Nothing taste quite as good as a fresh vegetable from the garden. Maybe you didn’t get around to g up for a garden plot this summer but are pining for a bite of a juicy red tomato. The DC Department of Parks and Recreation has you covered. Every Saturday morning at the Lederer Gardens, 4801 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE from 10:00 to 11:00 am there is a free vegetable giveaway. On a recent weekend, squash, zucchini, okra and sun golden tomatoes all grown at the garden were plentiful. In addition, The Washington Youth Garden sent large ripe tomatoes, the Botanic Garden sent excess cabbage and eggplant, and UDC’s native plant nursery sent chard and kale. The Garden has easy parking and is next door to Marvin Gaye Park, which is a treat to walk along the fruit tree path and stream. Free giveaways run through November.
So don’t let the heat get you down. Get out there this August and enjoy all the green opportunities at your disposal.
Rindy O’Brien is a proud Lincoln Park urn volunteer. She can be reached at [email protected]
