Sustainable Gardening Blog

No matter that the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are waaay off the beaten path in an unfamiliar part of D.C. and it’s easy to get lost on the ugly, fast-paced freeway that takes you there.  But this little oasis, maintained by the National Park Service, was having their very festive Annual Waterlily Festival and the weather was perfect.  For once the day of the festival was not hot and not even humid.  That never happens, so I had to go.

Notice in the bottom right the bad boy of wetlands - purple loosestrife?  Shocked to see it, I asked and was told that the biggest part of park clean-up is the removal of trash - lots of it - and these stray invasives get yanked every year during the volunteer event.  Well, I’m thinking that the job of removing trash from this large body of water could be a pretty yucky gig.  Yucky but rewarding, I’m sure.  Seriously.