by Marlene Berlin Fall has wowed us this year, with colors that stand out both in their brilliance and their longevity. The yellows, oranges and reds emerged with a vengeance within a day or two of our late October article on why the leaves change color. Splashes of color continue to impress, from the bright […]
Backyard Nature: Autumn is in bloom. Is that strange?
by Marlene Berlin The changing fall leaves aren’t the only ways nature is adding more color to the fall months. On November 7th, I spotted these irises. I was amazed to find them blooming this late in the year. I have also been finding azaleas, roses, and white and pink camelias in partial or full […]
Got young trees? They need to be watered even when temperatures are cooling
by Marlene Berlin We often remind you during the hot summer months that new trees need water – gallons of it. Young trees, whether they’ve been recently planted or have been in the ground for a couple of years, require 25 gallons of water every week to survive. That is no less true in the […]
More Neighborhood in the News: Landlords accused of conspiring; Mystery cars behind the former Burger King
Neighborhood in the News is usually a monthly feature, at most, and we just published one a week ago. But we didn’t think this news could wait. In case you missed it, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb is suing a real estate tech firm and 14 of the District’s largest apartment owners, accusing them of […]
Backyard Nature: What causes trees to change their colors and shed their leaves in the fall
by Marlene Berlin Almost as soon as trees start to wear their fall colors, they begin to slough them off. Around the neighborhood and on Rock Creek Park trails, flashes of yellow, orange and red are appearing. And the leaves – some brilliantly colored, some not – are also dropping from trees at a steadier […]
This fall, leave the leaves on the lawn and flower beds. It’s better for wildlife – and our wallets.
by Kathy Sykes It’s that time of year when we think we need to rake leaves and “clean up” the garden. But think again. Contrary to popular belief, one of the best ways to help your garden and the environment is to leave the leaves. There are many reasons one should adopt this approach. Leaves […]
Neighborhood in the News: Another ambassador moving in; Rent on the rise; The real birthplace of the U.S. atomic age
After living in hotels and other temporary homes in Washington for the past two years, Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog is getting a new and permanent official residence. And it’s in Forest Hills. The mansion at 3301 Fessenden Street NW was built in 2019 and originally listed for $15 million dollars. The list price when it […]
The invasion of the ‘tree snatchers’
by Adam Sieminski Winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei) is a tenacious, perennial, and evergreen plant that grows as a sprawling groundcover or climbing vine. Those qualities make it attractive to many local gardeners – but the plant is invasive and damaging to trees. Introduced from Asia more than a century ago, this species is becoming a pest […]
From zero to 7,000+: One DC agency charts voucher renters in its programs since 2016
by Marlene Berlin More than 7,000 DC residents were housed under DC Department of Human Services (DHS) programs for the homeless as of September last year. The figure is from the DHS report “A Path to Ending Homelessness,” which chronicles growth in the agency’s voucher programs since 2016. “Over the past two years, the District […]
Some of our new neighbors could really go for a drink of water right now
If there’s a young street tree on your block, it’s going to need your help. Casey Trees is out with a timely reminder that new trees need 25 gallons of water every week to survive. Under the current dry conditions, we can’t count on the rain to do the watering, and even if DC weren’t […]