Are you new to the City of Alexandria?  Did your street lose trees during the August 5th storm?  Do you just want more trees on your block?

The you need to meet John Noelle.  John is the arborist for the City of Alexandria and is in charge of planting trees throughout the city.

Of course he's responsible for a lot more than just planting trees but it's a good place to start.

We met John last night at a gathering of neighbors in Del Ray.  Fox Vernon, neighbor, musician and blogger, organized the meeting and arranged for John to be with us.

There were several things we learned:

• only ornamental trees (crape myrtle, red bud, ivory silk tree lilac, etc.) can be planted below power lines,
• medium shade trees (Honeylocust, Goldenrain tree, Kentucky coffee tree, Chinese pistach, etc.) can be planted in areas without power lines,
• there is approximately 36" of planting space between the curb and sidewalk,
• homeowners can request a particular kind of tree (within reason),
• the city is happy to buy and plant the trees but needs 'good neighbors' to water,
• the city will provide 'gator bags' to facilitate watering.

If you would like to know more about planting trees with the City of Alexandria, contact John online at the City of Alexandria Website or at his office, 703.746.5499.

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17,000 Trees Damaged in Alexandria from Freak Thunderstorm