The Potomac Chapter ASLA held their annual awards gala at the Arena Stage on April 30. Seven D.C.-area firms received professional design awards. Recognizing her exceptional career in garden design, the Chapter presented Florence Everts with its first ever lifetime achievement award, and Elizabeth Miller, inset, a longtime advocate of innovative public policy, planning and urban design initiatives, was honored for her induction into the ASLA Council of Fellows.

Once again, the Potomac Chapter ASLA had a busy year. In an effort to focus its energy and improve the quality of its programs, the Chapter directed most of its attention to the professional awards program and gala in the spring and Design D.C., a premier interdisciplinary professional development conference, in the fall. Despite the emphasis on these two events, members still managed to do a little volunteering, advocating, networking and of course, socializing. Here are some of the highlights.

The Chapter concluded World Landscape Architecture Month with the annual awards gala on April 30. Seven D.C.-area firms received professional design awards. Recognizing her exceptional career in garden design, the Chapter presented Florence Everts with its first ever lifetime achievement award, and Elizabeth Miller, a longtime advocate of innovative public policy, planning and urban design initiatives, was honored for her induction into the ASLA Council of Fellows.

On September 18, numerous Potomac Chapter firms in the D.C. area participated in Parking Day. For the second year, the Potomac Chapter was one of the producing partners of Design D.C. 2015, the premiere interdisciplinary design conference in D.C.. Landscape architecture was front and center with a keynote address by Laurie Olin and more than 20 education sessions relevant to the profession. More than 30 members participated.

Potomac Chapter members were among the many who volunteered at the D.C. Building Industry Association's "Build Day." Sharon Bradley, owner of Bradley Site Design and Potomac Chapter Secretary, served as design co-chair for the event, which involved transforming a three-acre property owned by the D.C. Housing Authority into an urban farm including a garden, nature trail and plaza.

Under the leadership of Advocacy Committee Chair Marsha Lea, the Potomac Chapter worked throughout the year with national ASLA towards licensure of landscape architects in the District of Columbia.

Potomac Chapter members rolled up their sleeves and got dirty on September 26 for the District of Columbia Building Industry Association's 2015 "Build Day." Sharon Bradley, owner of Bradley Site Design and Potomac Chapter Secretary, served as design co-chair for the event, which involved transforming a three-acre property owned by the D.C. Housing Authority into an urban farm including a garden, nature trail and plaza.

More than 40 people attended a guided landscape tour and happy hour at Halstead Square in Vienna, Va., in October. The Social & Networking Committee is planning more combined landscape tours and happy hours for 2016.

On November 8, 2014, the chapter organized its First Annual POASLA Landscape Architecture Bike Tour around Washington, D.C. Organized by the Emerging Professionals Committee, the bike tour visited four projects around D.C. and included a presentation from the designers or maintenance crew of each site. Projects in the First Annual Bike Tour included Diamond Teague Park (Landscape Architecture Bureau - LAB), Constitution Square Streetscape (Parker Rodriguez Inc.), City Center D.C. (Gustafson Guthrie Nichol - GGN), and National Mall Turf Renovation (National Park Service - NPS). More than 40 members and bike enthusiasts participated.