One Hundred Homes, One Beautiful Garden

2008 has been an extremely busy year for the Grounds and Infrastructure Committee. Watergate completed an extensive replanting of the Northern and Southern Mews, the berm area along the southern edge of the property, and the raised plant beds near the fishpond, above the First Street walkway overlooking the Phase I garage entrance, and along North Royal Street to both sides of the archway entrance. This is the final planned undertaking arising from the garage waterproofing project. Additional plantings may be made in the Northern Mews next spring or summer.

Several dead trees along North Royal Street and Second Street - both ours and those owned by the City of Alexandria - were recently removed. At least two other dying trees will be removed before year's end. There are several reasons for the failing conditions of these trees - the severe drought two summers ago, problematic drainage and other poor localized soil conditions, and disease. We are planning to replace our trees later this year or in early 2009, and will be submitting a request to the city arborist for replacement of the trees taken from North Royal Street.

Small shrubs, bushes and other plantings have been replaced or transplanted throughout the complex. Next spring, additional attention will be given to replanting areas along both sides of the walkway connecting the fishpond to the red maple tree, the walkway connecting the fishpond to Second Street, along portions of North Pitt Street, and along the First Street walkways. We are also planning to replace the railroad ties around the Maple Tree, which are deteriorating.

This year, we focused our maintenance efforts on the pruning of large trees and the trimming of ground cover. Next year, the focus will be on hand pruning the medium-sized shrubbery and plants throughout the complex.

This summer, at our request, the city replaced large stretches of sidewalk along North Pitt Street and North Royal Street, where the roots of mature trees were causing the original sidewalks to buckle up. The new sidewalks are terrific, but we've had to work on restoring the adjacent grass that was damaged in the project.

The overall health and condition of our trees, shrubs, bushes and plants are excellent, notwithstanding the unusual budget constraints during the last two years caused by the Koger Management embezzlement and the landscape restoration project.

The Association wishes to thank Joanne Agresta, Priscilla Aycock and Kathryn Cross, the ever-vigilant and hard-working co-chairs of the Grounds and Infrastructure Committee, Laurann Jacoby, who tends tirelessly to maintenance of the fishpond, and all the volunteers who give of their time to help with the annual Fall and Spring clean-up days and with the watering of the common grounds during the summer months.

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