All eyes this week are on the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, but another profoundly important project on the Mall is nearing completion and worth celebrating.
We refer to the final stages of the $40 million reconstruction of the iconic central grassy spine of the Mall between Third and 14th streets. The area consists of eight grass panels totaling 18 acres, and the first three, on the Capitol side, were completed in 2012. The fences are coming off the other five in the coming weeks, although barriers will continue to keep people away from the grass to allow its root system to grow over the next few months.
The grass panels will be opened (with protection) for the inauguration but won’t be otherwise accessible until spring, said Michael Stachowicz, the National Park Service’s turf guru. Stachowicz was hired in 2012 to oversee the nation’s most conspicuous front yard. He had previously worked on golf courses. In 2012, Lawn & Landscape did a story on the Mall's renovation, featuring Stachowicz.
Ironically, as the science and practice of turf care advanced over the past three decades, the condition of the Mall deteriorated to a point where standard lawn renovation techniques — aeration, dethatching and reseeding — couldn’t possibly reverse the decay.
For the full story, on washingtonpost.com, click here.
No more results found. We refer to the final stages of the $40 million reconstruction of the iconic central grassy spine of the Mall between Third and 14th streets. The area consists of eight grass panels totaling 18 acres, and the first three, on the Capitol side, were completed in 2012. The fences are coming off the other five in the coming weeks, although barriers will continue to keep people away from the grass to allow its root system to grow over the next few months.
The grass panels will be opened (with protection) for the inauguration but won’t be otherwise accessible until spring, said Michael Stachowicz, the National Park Service’s turf guru. Stachowicz was hired in 2012 to oversee the nation’s most conspicuous front yard. He had previously worked on golf courses. In 2012, Lawn & Landscape did a story on the Mall's renovation, featuring Stachowicz.
Ironically, as the science and practice of turf care advanced over the past three decades, the condition of the Mall deteriorated to a point where standard lawn renovation techniques — aeration, dethatching and reseeding — couldn’t possibly reverse the decay.
For the full story, on washingtonpost.com, click here.