Connecticut Avenue is more beautiful – and more bee-friendly these days.
Van Ness Main Street and volunteers have spent the past six weekends cleaning up trash, sprucing up the I’m Eddie Cano/Rosemary Bistro Cafe streatery, placing plant-filled pots and planting hundreds of flowers in tree boxes.
There is one more flower planting event on Saturday, April 24th, from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteers can sign up here to help Master Gardener Kathy Sykes plant native and other pollinator-friendly flowers in front of Italian Pizza Kitchen. Or donate here to help pay for the flowers and other Van Ness Main Street efforts.
Earth Week – and Van Ness Main Street’s Spring NOW campaign – will close with two tours of the Connecticut Avenue street gardens. Sykes will lead them both. The first tour, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25th, is geared toward kids. Participants will learn the names and unique features of some native and perennial plants and their benefits to the environment. Children under 16 ($15) should be accompanied by an adult ($30). Register here. The proceeds support Van Ness Main Street’s efforts.
Then on Monday, April 26th at 7 p.m., is the street gardens tour for adults. Register here.
After that, Van Ness Main Street’s next events are its virtual annual meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, May 7th, and a small business celebration on Sunday, May 16th. As described in the latest VNMS newsletter, “Celebrate the Heart of Van Ness Main Street during National Small Business Month! 1-4pm. Save the date to stroll Van Ness, Wakefield and Forest Hills to enjoy food and drink specials, a Selfie Scavenger Hunt, sidewalk chalk art (for all ages), Barks & Brews, our new Spring NOW plantings and more!”
We’re invited to follow the event page for updates.
Forest Hills Connection is a program of Van Ness Main Street.
Gloria says
I am appreciating all of the beautiful color and festivity these flowers and plants have added to our cityscape. Thanks so much to all the volunteers.
Joey Spatafora says
Let us please use these gardening and clean-up events to ALSO spread the news about DC’s new law banning gas-powered leaf blowers which takes effect starting in just eight short months, at the end of this calendar year.
These machines destroy flowers, gardens, and the habitats of bees and many other insects.
Please add notification of this upcoming law to all news articles and stories about gardening, clean-ups, and the environment.
We can and must do more to spread the news about this law, using venues such as Forest Hills Connection.
It is not really possible to make “Connecticut Avenue more beautiful – and more bee-friendly these days” with gas-powered leaf blowers prowling our sidewalks at every hour, of every day, all year round.