LOCALnews

33,000 Daffodils Debut at Culpepper Garden

By Charlotte Benedetto

Paradise to many is a dappled garden where streams converge—and streams of community support and infrastructure have converged in victory at Culpepper Garden in Arlington, VA. From a visionary seed of philanthropy in 1964, this project weathered decades of controversy and has evolved into a fine example of urban green living. Over time, $59 million went into several multi-year, multi-stage renovations, with support from tax exemptions, the Virginia housing trust, property seller loans, and deferments. The welllandscaped community of 340 apartments, with residents aged 62 to 102, is a progressive, compassionate society that features urban forests and green spaces that sustain the soul. Many retirement communities feel institutional, disconnected, and unlike a “home”—but here, green spaces and residents’ garden plots proliferate indoors and out to create a homey environment. While it is accessible, Culpepper doesn’t look “medical”; the architecture resembles a condo building. Enhancing that feeling, residents may have their own elevated garden beds, which are easy to reach and maintain, with roomy aisles between beds and accessible watering as well. “We love it,” said one resident, who identified herself only as “Alice—Alice in Wonderland.” “I love having my own plants. These irises came from my son.” Even those who don’t garden enjoy the green amenities; a couple announced in passing, “We do the walk every morning and every evening.” Gently graded walkways and a semiprivate park with winding gravel trails connect the residents with an urban hardwood dell, but Culpepper’s crown jewel is an immaculate new Daffodil Walk. Dr. Charles Culpepper, the site’s original owner, did botanical breeding work on DC-area garden stalwarts daffodil and daylily during the 1920s. On March 25, dozens of attendees celebrated the newly renovated facility at the unveiling of the Daffodil Walk and a green bench in spruce dedicated to first responders, with a soirée among the nodding, buttery-golden blooms.

The March 25 event included a ceremony of appreciation with dapper local first responders in polished, full-dress uniform and attendance by officials who have worked to make Culpepper a reality. Residents and neighbors joined in to celebrate and eat together. The Daffodil Walk is home to 33,000 daffodils, with staggered planting times and blooming dates to allow about 6,000 blooms at one time. Luminous icy golds and sulfurous saffrons burst and nod along the perfectly graded and well-planned space. The garden is an ageless place of healing and natural connection. A 2018 funding initiative made the trails and the new Daffodil Walk possible. As director Marta Gray Hill put it, Culpepper Garden is truly a nice place to live—and it’s sometimes “the last, best, home” for average, low-income Arlingtonians. A white concrete walkway provides a “collar” for the sparkling-clean residence tower and allows access to a less-developed gravel-paved park behind the complex. Native shrubs, a bench walk, and a koi pond are next on the renovation roster, with funding already allocated to bringing the rest of the grounds up to speed. Culpepper Garden’s 4+ acres in the heart of Arlington on North Pershing Drive (www. culpeppergarden.org) is not just about the healing power of plants and nature. If we—as gardeners and as Americans—are to be prepared for the coming tidal wave of aging and retiring Americans, our elder communities cannot resemble disconnected institutions. They must be site-specific, integrating human life with the healing power of gardens and the outdoors. The urban forest and Daffodil Walk of Culpepper Garden are proof that it is possible to create desirable, nature-infused urban places to live and retire. o

Charlotte Benedetto is a writer, artist, and gardener living in Great Falls, VA. She is enrolled in the Northern Virginia Community College horticulture program and is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener.