Alexandria Beautification Commission

09/02/2026

Beautification does not always require a major project.

Adding a planter, removing litter, refreshing a neglected garden bed, or creating a welcoming place to sit can make a visible difference.

What is one small improvement you could make this month

09/02/2026

Get tips and instructions on how to organize native tree plantings in your community.

09/01/2026

Hello, September!

As summer begins to soften into fall, Alexandria’s landscapes are entering a season of changing colors, late blooms, and important garden care.

What signs of the new season are you noticing?

08/31/2026

🌳 Trees are beautiful, but their value goes far beyond appearance.

According to this article from Marketplace, every dollar a city invests in trees can generate roughly three dollars in benefits. A healthy urban tree canopy helps cool neighborhoods, manage stormwater, improve air quality, lower energy costs, support wildlife, and make communities more inviting places to live and do business.

Trees are not simply decorative additions. They are essential city infrastructure, and caring for the trees we already have is just as important as planting new ones.

This is a worthwhile look at why investing in urban forestry pays dividends for an entire community.

Every dollar invested in trees generates roughly three dollars in benefits.

08/30/2026

👀 The View From Here

Beautification can change the way we experience a place before we even realize it.

A welcoming entrance. A clear sightline. An attractive corner. A well-designed streetscape. A place to sit and linger.

These details help turn everyday spaces into places that feel inviting, memorable, and connected to the community around them.

This week, notice one view in Alexandria that makes you want to slow down and look a little longer.

08/29/2026

🧹 What Makes a Place Feel Cared For?

Beautification isn’t only about adding something new. Sometimes the biggest difference comes from taking care of what’s already there.

A freshly painted railing. A cleared sidewalk. Repaired signage. Cleaned-up litter. A restored bench. A well-maintained public space.

These small improvements send a powerful message: this place matters.

As you move through Alexandria this week, notice the spaces that feel especially cared for. What details make the difference to you?

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

✨ Beauty in the Details

Beautification isn’t always a major project. Sometimes it’s the small details that give a place its character.

A decorative railing, a thoughtfully designed bench, a historic doorway, a mural, or even the pattern of a brick sidewalk can make a street feel more distinctive, welcoming, and cared for.

This week, take a closer look around Alexandria. What small detail makes your neighborhood feel beautiful?

📸 Share your favorite with us in the comments.

08/27/2026

“Historic Bicentennial Tree: Celebration of U.S. 250th Anniversary” by Kenneth Krupa, Alexandria Beautification Commissioner

According to an 18th century storyteller young George Washington at age 6 lived with his family on agrarian acreage located south of Alexandria. Wielding an axe, the young lad in a burst of youthful energy chopped down his father’s prized cherry tree. When questioned by his father the boy replied “I cannot tell a lie, I did it”. Since he answered truthfully he was spared punishment. Even warmly embraced by his father who declared that his sons honesty was worth more than
1,000 trees.

Historians question the verasity of this widely known and endearing tale. Instead attributing it to the inventiveness of one of Washington’s first biographers who in 1806, 7 years after George’s death, added the vignette as a vehicle to increase book sales.
Whether fact or fiction, we can confirm that fortunately there was another tree that did evade the axe from the future First President of the United States. That majestic tree, a massive willow oak (Quercus Phellos) continues to grow along what is now the Holmes Run Trailway in the West End of Alexandria.

Cresting at approximately 116 feet high and estimated at over 320 years old, this impressive tree is located not far from the Beatley Central Library. Visible from the Trailway below it is protected under the watchful eye of the Alexandria Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Activities (RPCA).

This majestic tree has lived through many historical events: the founding of Alexandria as a Port City, British Rule over the 13 unruly colonies, the conflict resulting in U.S. Independence. Plus
subsequent wars, financial crises, and influx of new residents. Bearing witness to an amazing transformation of Alexandria from a sparsely populated settlement to an internationally
acclaimed historic site. A vibrant 21st Century urban community now the most densely populated city in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

During the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, the tree was acknowledged as a “Living Witness of the American Revolution” and designated as the Official “Alexandria Bicentennial Tree”. Today an
artistic replica of the tree is available as the “2026 Holiday Ornament” available from the Office
of Historic Alexandria. In recognition of the endurance and significance of the Bicentennial Tree, the Alexandria
Beautification Commission (ABC) has draped the rustic wooden fence surrounding the tree with a patriotic decorative flag. Meant to both honor the longevity of the tree and the country in which
it is firmly rooted - a local, regional, and national treasure.
During the U.S. Semiquincentennial residents and visitors alike are encouraged to walk, jog, or bike to view the mix of nature, beauty, and patriotism provided by the Bicentennial Tree. In the
process invigorating both body, mind, and spirit. Hopefully the memorable journey will be well worth the effort.
For more detailed information please visit the Alexandria Centennial Tree website.