Grounds and Infrastructure

"The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before." -- Vita Sackville-West

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." -- Abraham Lincoln

The pictures on this page were taken in the fading days of June 2010, and focus on gathering places and walkways. Many of our older plantings were destroyed or damaged by last winter's savage snow storms. But what survived has thrived, and this spring we put in about one-third of our planned replacement landscaping with the remainder scheduled for the fall.

The North Pitt Street “cul-de-sac” area lost a number of mature evergreens. In their stead, we planted a beautiful crape myrtle natchez and four European hornbeams. With the new brick walkways, rose bushes and white benches that were installed last autumn, this area has been fully restored and looks beautiful.

The mature shade trees that lined both sides of the allée leading from the red maple tree courtyard to the fish pond area were brutally wrecked by January’s snowmageddon. The ones on the western side of the walkway have already been removed and replaced by a pair of sargent cherry spires. The ones on the eastern side of the walkway will be similarly swapped out in the fall after pending masonry repair work is completed in that area later this summer. The underplantings in this area have come, quite regally, into their own since they were planted last year.

The dogwood sitting area northwest of the fish pond area looks better with each passing year, and we have Joanne Agresta to thank for this. The berm sitting area located in the southeastern corner of our property has received another make-over thanks to Priscilla Aycock. Both of these sitting areas are quiet, tranquil and joyful.

Many of our existing crape myrtles were wounded by the heavy snowfall. One of our favorites, a crape myrtle tuscarora immediately to the west of the red maple tree, lost many of its branches but has sprung back in fine form. Although the picture does not show it, bright fuchsia blooms now fill its boughs and limbs. New trees fill the "cigar" planters in the southern mews, and they will look gorgeous in coming years.

The fish pond area remains a focal point of the northern part of our community. We seem to have lost no fish, and our visiting couplet of migratory ducks returned again this year . . . for what appeared to be an extended stay. For the second time in as many years, we lost the “seasonal” magnolia plants in the raised planter beds above the fish pond, and we are now considering alternatives for this sun-drenched breezeway.

Grounds and Infrastructure Committee
July 2010