More than a half dozen volunteers from Edmonds in Bloom converged on Edmonds Center for the Arts recently to work their magic on a previously unused flower bed along the south side of the main theater building.

Edmonds in Bloom has a long track record of supporting Edmonds Center for the Arts, dating back to the 2006 renovation, when they named a large flower bed at the Northwest corner of the ECA property with a fiscal sponsorship. The organization has continued to seasonally add daffodils, tulips and other plantings to that bed, for the benefit of the center and all who enjoy it. At  one of those work parties, ECA Operations Manager Jeff Vaughan pointed out an empty planting bed in need of attention, and Edmonds in Bloom volunteer Barbara Chase and a team of volunteers came to the rescue.

One immediate hurdle was that the planting bed was not served by the Center’s irrigation system. But with some expert consultation on the selection of materials, Edmonds in Bloom funded the professional installation of a new drip irrigation system — donated by Pilchuck Irrigation — so the plantings will thrive. When the work party day arrived, many hands made short work of turning over and amending the soil, selecting just the right placement for the plants and applying a fresh layer of bark mulch, as well as a new bench as the finishing touch.  All materials, including plants and bench, were funded by Edmonds in Bloom.

— Story and photo submitted by the Edmonds Center for the Arts