Anna Ford, of Lorton, shared she started gardening at Franconia Park to bring her family together during the COVID-19 outbreak, later finding they all enjoyed the experience of watching plants grow. She’s moving plants she had already started for Fall to Laurel Hill to be just three minutes from home; extra work she says is worth it to be closer.
Dave Correll, of Lorton, was restricted to a small two-container garden at his home, and says he looks forward to the opportunity to grow more and larger plants. He has eggplants, cucumbers and more planted on his plot.
Community leader Wes Spears, who spearheaded action to realize the garden plots and is sponsoring two plots dedicated to the Lorton Community Action Center, examines ripening cherry tomatoes with the Center’s executive director Rob Rutledge.
Dora Lockwood, of Fairfax Station, waited on the list for several years for a garden and took the first site offered. A Virginia Master Gardener, she is looking forward to having more space than the small square that is sunlit at her home.
Ross Panneton of Lorton looks forward to “getting my hands in the dirt again.” His impressive deer resistant cages, built before moving to the community garden’s fenced plots, are supporting his tomatoes, with peppers and squash also planted.
First time gardener Denise Platon of Lorton was looking for an activity for her kids who love to be outside. She says so far there have been no complaints from them about the heat or being without computer tablets or video games; they love gardening.
Cole Platon, four years old, is willing to smell lavender and eat his favorite vegetable, peppers
Abdul Aliyev, of Springfield’s Newington Forest, has been gardening for seven years, on his patio which gets little sunlight. He’s looking forward to growing sun-loving plants at his plot and will employ some less common vine supports used in greenhouses and extend his growing area in containers.