Mini-Eden on 9th Street
When I first moved to Chico, I took the time to tour the neighborhood surrounding my rental on Sycamore Street, meeting local residents and their pets, noting pecan trees, and grabbing an occasional mocha from Has Beans on Humboldt.
One day my dog took me for a walk (it is never the reverse), and we found ourselves on 9th Street. Sadly, the speed of the vehicles zipping by, combined with an occasional lack of sidewalks, greatly reduces the ambiance of what I am sure were once charming front yards a few decades ago.
Even so, on this day the brave pooch and I braved the traffic, crossed 9th, and found ourselves in front of one house where the residents had clearly not given up. A colorful Mediterranean-style garden faces the street, highlighted by fuzzy leaves of lamb’s ears and a 10 foot tall California buckeye. Rather than gravel, bare dirt, and the occasional discarded junk food wrapper, every square inch of ground is covered with carefully-placed greenery. Bees and fresh air seem to thrive in this mini oasis adjacent to the asphalt.
The occasion came when I saw the owners one day, and I made a point to go over and compliment and thank them for their efforts. The buckeye, they said, had been planted from seed.
Sustainability is not just doing good things. It is taking the time to recognize when someone else takes action that benefits others, like maintaining attractive, purposeful landscaping along Highway 32.