Photos: Future flower power in Van Ness

by Marlene Berlin

Talk about delayed gratification. About two dozen volunteers came out Sunday, November 10th to plant daffodils and other spring bulbs along the west side of Connecticut Avenue in Van Ness. And they won’t see the fruits – or flowers – of their labors until spring.

Kathy Sykes is a friend of Van Ness Main Street. She earned her Master Gardener certificate from UDC earlier this year. She is responsible for the many plants and flowers in the tree boxes and planters outside 4340 Connecticut. And she led the effort Sunday along with Cherie Lester, the VNMS interim executive director.

Kathy Sykes

The volunteers included a UDC Master Gardener trainee, American University students and alumni, the owner of Italian Pizza Kitchen, and a couple of kids.

Left to right: Sophia Banet, Jade Lauron,
Mason Trappio (who is in the UDC Master Gardener program), and Kat Salzman. Lauron was on her way to the post office stopped to plant.

Sykes instructed the volunteers on how and where to plant the bulbs. They focused on the west side of the street from Burger King to Wells Fargo.

Volunteers also had planters to fill. Left to right: American University students Jack Boone, Danielle Mistretta, Jasmine Singh and Thomas Kissock.

As volunteers planted, Lester swept sidewalks, took down old DDOT “no parking” signs, picked up trash, and made sure volunteers had plenty of snacks and water to keep them going.

Cherie Lester at the volunteer table.

Before Sunday’s volunteers got to work, Sykes and three more volunteers prepared tree box areas with soil and compost. Van Ness Main Street covered the cost of the bulbs and supplies. You can still donate to the effort here: paypal.me/vannessmainstreet.

And, you have another chance to donate a couple of hours of your time. Next Sunday, November 17th from 1 to 3 p.m., Sykes and volunteers will tackle the east side of Connecticut Avenue. Meet at 12:45 p.m. in front of Italian Pizza Kitchen. Bring your gardening gloves and trowels to dig in the dirt. Email [email protected] to RSVP.