Spring on the Hill

Sonia shared several collages of spring on Capitol Hill. She believes many of the springflowering bulbs were from the Garden Club community project. The first was the Eastern Market Metro Plaza:

The second was Eastern Market itself with the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center:

And, the third was Turtle Park:
For more spring on the Hill go here.

Anacostia River Trip

Saturday, April 12: The Anacostia Watershed Society led 21 Capitol Hill members on an environmental cruise down the Anacostia River from Bladensburg, MD to the CSX railroad bridge below East Capitol Street and back to Bladensburg. Due in part to recent rains sweeping street trash into the river, the Anacostia was as trashy as many had ever seen it. On the good side, we spied an American bald eagle, many osprey and a handful of great blue herons along the way. [Click on photos for larger views.]

The Anacostia at Bladensburg:









Osprey near Bladensburg Waterfront Park:
Our guide Kamweti Mutu greats the passengers:










The members on board:


















Heading down the Anacostia:
Many great blue heron along the way:


















The first bridge is New York Avenue; "resident" Canadian Geese on the DC seawall:









The United States National Arboretum: the river observation post, camellias, the floating dock to the river entrance and a view of Asian Valley.


















Spring blooms along the river and the river entrance to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens:

A power plant is the first urban view, then golfers at Langston Legacy Golf Course on Kingman Island:

Turtles and trash; ducks and trash:









A mallard duck on the water and a kayaker:












The greening of spring:









The Metro and Benning Road bridges; osprey in a tree:









Under the East Capitol Street bridges and view of RFK Stadium:









The American bald eagle:
The CSX railroad bridge and cormorants:









There was occasional rain:









Great blue heron in flight:
Return to Bladensburg; AWS development director Pat Gladding (in pink cap at right) saying au revoir:

April Meeting

The April 8 meeting included the election of new officers, a presentation by the DC Department of the Environment, a preview of a native plant demonstration garden to be installed in May at the campus of the University of the District of Columbia, and a program on seasonal color and interest in the garden by a group of members.

The refreshments table included Joyce's "Party in Your Mouth":

Members of the Mount Airy Clay Breakers [below l] visited the regular meeting of the Capitol Hill Garden Club, April 8, as part of District I's reciprocity project in which garden clubs are encouraged to share programs and events with other clubs. Mount Airy member Lorraine Leonard [below r], who is also the manager of Arbor House gift shop at the U.S. National Arboretum, gave a preview of items currently available at the National Arboretum gift shop.

Shelby Laubhan of the DC Department of the Environment gave and overview of green gardening assistance from the department:









President Jim Shelar looking through the DOE gardening bags distributed at the meeting; the Arbor House best selling gardening impement:










Wendy introduces the master gardeners planning the UDC demonstration garden: