Guest commentary: Girard Avenue flower baskets get a freshening

More than two dozen freshly planted flower baskets are now suspended from lampposts along Girard Avenue between Prospect and Silverado streets. Containing orange parrot beak flowers, whirlwind blue fan flowers and superbells in red, purple, pink, yellow and white, the refreshed flower baskets have been rehung from new brackets and chains.

Flowering plants in the newly established flower baskets will eventually grow to spill over the sides of the faux terracotta pots containing them, making for living color dotting one of the main thoroughfares in The Village.

A noticeable difference about these floral arrangements is their height. Compared with the previous hanging baskets that contained geraniums, these baskets are hung at eye level, better showcasing the flowers, as opposed to gazing up at the flower basket base. Additionally, plants chosen for these new floral arrangements are hearty and drought-tolerant. It is anticipated all will last throughout the remainder of the fall season and into the new year.

In other landscaping news, four yards of Arizona river rock and 30 5-gallon iris plants are on order for placement in three large tree wells on Ivanhoe Avenue at Wall Street in front of Banc of California. This project will resemble the landscaping design accomplished on Wall Street in front of the Athenaeum, bringing a uniform look to The Village. It also will mirror the appearance of the same rock across the street at the post office. Repairs to several loose bricks encasing these tree wells will be made with this project, making for both a safety and aesthetic improvement.

Reinforcing San Diego Environmental Services Department efforts, La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District vendors collect and dispose of refuse from 41 public trash receptacles in the district seven days a week. Current janitorial efforts focused on the overall appearance of The Village extend far beyond trash. Incredible amounts of graffiti, tagging and stickers have recently been removed from street signs, sidewalks, benches and utility boxes. Just as fast as this vandalism appears, LJMAD endeavors to eradicate it, and your help is appreciated.

Please report issues to the city of San Diego with its Get It Done system. For more information, visit sandiego.gov/get-it-done.

The next Enhance La Jolla board of directors meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the La Jolla Woman’s Club, 7791 Draper Ave. Results of the election to fill five seats on the board will be announced at the meeting and certified by city of San Diego personnel.

If you see an issue needing attention in the district, please call Enhance La Jolla at (858) 444-5892 or email manager@enhancelajolla.org.

Mary Montgomery is manager of the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District. ◆