Alley Gardens

An Alley Garden award flag

Many years ago our Mac/Groveland Community Council started giving out Alley Garden Awards, in part "to prevent crime and encourage residents to clean up and beautify their alleys, the community's most neglected spaces."  I won an award the first year, before I even knew the program existed, but since then have kept the alley area weeded and mowed but nothing more. I enjoy "doing alleys" when I walk the dogs and admire the winners every year.

When the new fence went in last month I decided to work toward an award.  The alley already had hostas & ferns and reasonably good grass, but there were no flowers, and the area near the garage door was a pile of discarded sod & soil covered with weeds.  Ugh!  When the half barrel planter proved too large to fit in the area where I had to move the side fence, it was moved to the alley (what a chore that was), planted and mulched.  The heap of soil was dug up, weeded, smoothed out and planted as well, and rocks were added along the sides to keep the soil from washing.  It was heavily mulched since that area is hot and dry and hard to reach with a hose.

Judging is a mysterious process, with flags suddenly appearing when its been completed.  When I came home last Friday, there was a note in my door telling me that I had (almost) won, but was missing one piece.  One of the requirements (I've never seen the requirements before) was house numbers prominently displayed which is apparently a law.  Who knew.  The note said to get that taken care of and notify the Council for rejudging.  Argh!  So close!   No way to put the numbers in a readable location on a stone garage with minimal wood trim (which is why there were no numbers there) so they were put on the fence even though I cringed at the idea of pounding nails in my new fence.  A quick email went off to the chairman, and a few days later the flag was in place and there was a note in my door inviting me to an awards ceremony in the fall and asking permission to take pictures if they wished.

Just a small thing really, but something I wanted to accomplish, and something that gives me great pleasure.  When Argus and I go for our evening walk, we'll stop to admire all the award winners in the area and perhaps get some new ideas for next year.