Purple and Blue
Originally uploaded by kimberlyfaye
The Post has a rather sad story today about the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, maintained by the Smithsonian, and trampled beyond recognition on Inauguration Day. Crowds removed the temporary fencing that had been installed to protect it and used it as a route to get into the Mall to view the ceremony. As a result, when horticulturist Janet Draper arrived the next day, she found that the mulch had been destroyed, plants were missing or flattened, and that some of the larger shrubs had been mangled by the crush of people.
The garden seems to be recovering, though- the damage to the soil isn’t extensive, the bulbs are growing normally, and some of the perennials have started to come back, ragged, but sturdy. So if you visit the garden this spring, keep in mind that it’ll take a while to restore it to its former grandeur.