Evening star., 1926-10-24
SPLENDOR TO GROW
ALONG ROCK CREEK
Tree and Shrubbery Planting
Program viii Add to
i Beauty of Valley.

Nature and man are combining to
make the great eXpanSe OF Rock Creek
Valley. as seen from the connecticut
Avenue Bridge, one OF the most at
tractive and pleasing pictures the
National Capital'S parks heautifica-
ton program. This area is the begin
ming OF the Rock treeH and Potomac
Parkway, the connecting link between
Rock Creek and Potomac Parks, and
has been slated for Improvement. to
begin this week. under the direction
of Frank T. Gartside. chief of the
parks maintenance division of the
Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks.
From the bridge on either side the
valley can be viewed for many blocks.
For years 1t has been mass Of under.
brush. 1t is now being cleaned pre-
paratory to improvements planned by
Mr.. Gartside. It is his plan to replace
the underbrush with trees and shrubs.
which also will be planted along the
proposed connecting roadway.
Varied Color Scheme.
The trees and shrubs will be select
ed and placed with a view to having
q variety Of colors the year round.
About 400 trees will be required
1t is the purpose to make a special
effort at planting during this Au-
tumn so that the parks next year VIII
present picture that will attract
thousa nds. Trees and shrubs will he
set out on the bridal path now run
ming through the entire area, and
planting scheme also has been pre-
pared for the vicinity Of the gas
houses in West Washington and on
the edge of the parkway. so as TO
blot them out of the view.
All this is part of the general
scheme to open the connecting park
way to the public as quickly as funds
will permit. The roadway to connect
the two big parks has been completed
at the Connecticut Avenue Bridge end
and it is probable another link will
be put in next Spring:
A dogwood setting. destined to lie
come as popular as the cherry bios
SONS on the waterway. is being plan
ned. for Ross and Ridge roads in Rock
Greek Park. These trees are to be
set out this Fall. soon after the work
around the Connecticut Avenue
Bridge is completed. BY purchase
and by gift 900 dogwood trees have
been obtained. They will be set along
these two roads. SO that next spring
II will present az co'orful a drive as
the one around the Tidal Basin. The
trees will he planted under direction
OF the landscape experts.
Grassy Sections Improved.
Grassy sections also are receiving
attention this Fall. All bare spots are
being gone over. In this work four
tons of lawn grass seed have been
purchased and are being planted.
These are sufficient to cover more
than so acres. Not a spot which
needs attention will he left unworked,
because officials want every piece of
lawn space to show a rich green next
year
Not even the roadways are being
overlooked. All of the main roadways
in Rock Creek Park are receiving an
overhauling. with an overcoating of
oil and crushed stone. to prepare them
for Winter and to have them in good
shape for heavy Spring and Summer
traffic Fourteen thousand gallons of
road oil are being used. The roads
will be closed for As hours while being
worked.
Special attention also is being given
to the roadway in the lower end of
East Potomac Park. which, due to
has taken on rolling effect.
In many places the roadway is being
torn up and reconstructed from the
he'd. Officials of the parks office say
I hat in some instances it is necessary
to build the roadway up Is inches to
meet the old road level. and this has
en- used the necessity of reconstruCting
the cutters.