Welcome to King Street Gardens Park, an oasis in this busy corner of Alexandria. The three members of Team Sedor18 walk through this park often whether it's on the way to work, the grocery store or down King Street to Old Town. It wasn't until recently that we stopped and took the time to read the lovely poems that mark the points of this tri-cornered park and take in its evocative nature.
These poems celebrate the three types of gardens on display in this triangular park: rain garden, hanging garden and topiary garden.
This very short multi will take you to these wonderful words where you will gather information that will lead you to the final cache location. The waypoints will take you to these poems but you can probably find them without help; they are stylized plaques enlayed in the brick sidewalk at the park's three corners. The hide is nearby. Please return as found.
You are solving for N 38° 48.ABC' W 77° 03.DEF'
Stage One: Rain Garden (solving for A and B):
This poem reveals a hidden source underneath you: the Hooff's Run Creek! That's right, a stream flows underneath you right now and rain water collects in this catchment and feeds the water source.
A = The number of words in the third line of the poem.
Fun fact: If you parked in the provided free three-hour parking waypoint you walked above this stream the entire way!
B = Letters in the first word in the second line of the poem.
Our wish: That your spirit does (the mystery word) after your time here in the park.
Stage Two: Hanging Garden (solving for C and D):
If you're here in the springtime of this poem's setting you will see the profuse blooms of hanging wisteria which brighten this communal space.
C = Total number of words in the poem divided by five
Note: The trellises are aimed to remind one of the shady outdoor tea gardens of the Old Town establishments. If you're not up for walking to one of the many restaurants down King Street with outdoor dining, the free Old Town Trolley passes by this park roughly every 15 minutes. Hop on! (Lots of caches down there.)
D = Words in the last stanza (the third segment) of the poem.
Fun fact: The woody wisteria vine that provide the poem's metaphorical shade from the summer heat grows very fast and requires dedicated pruning from the hard-working City of Alexandria park staff or else there would be too much shade.
Stage Three: Topiary Garden (solving for E and F):
Can you be a park in northern Virginia and not have some type of mention of George Washington? It's doubtful. This poem suggests sweeping your eyes to the land the one-time surveyor must have scanned and up to the General's tribute on the hill nearby.
E = Letters in the fourth word of the poem
Note: This park's shape and design is meant to suggest the The American Cincinnatus' famed tri-cornered hat.
F = Letters in the 19th word of the poem
Fun fact: The park's design is meant to evoke the layout, landscape and lines of the Old Town environs.
The final hide location should be very close to where you might now be. Hide rating reflects that is a high-muggle area and stealth may be necessary.
A certitude checker is below just in case. Thanks for finding!
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.