Thanks to local gardener Armando Castro, kindergartners at La Jolla Elementary School (LJES) will start the school year with a freshly landscaped playground. Julia Kaplan, parent of two incoming LJES kindergartners, thought the playground could use some attention. She asked Castro, her gardener, for advice. Castro, a father of four — including 10-year-old triplets — gladly brought three members of his crew and a truckload of compost and plants to the playground. The group spent several hours landscaping the area on Sunday afternoon, along with several families and teachers who volunteered their time. When offered compensation for his services, Castro refused. “I’m not that kind of guy,” he said. “I have kids, too, and it’s no problem for me. I just wanted to help clean up the space and make it look nice.” Kaplan said she was floored. “It’s so phenomenal,” she said. “He clearly had some hard expenses with his crew members and the materials, but he did it out of the goodness of his heart. He knows how environment affects learning and he knew it was important for the kids to have a nice place to learn and play.” Kaplan said she thought Castro’s gesture would help the students better appreciate their school. “When the kids see their parents and Armando and his team put in all that effort, it teaches them about hard work and it impacts how they feel about their school,” she said. “It made the kids work hard, too. It can be tough to get them to pick up their clothes at home, but they were out there with shovels all day.” Castro works with several families in La Jolla, and Kaplan said he demonstrates the same giving attitude on a regular basis. “I think he’s just one of those people who does good things, and I think they’ll come back to him,” Kaplan said. “He’s a man of few words, but he has a huge heart.” Castro owns Armando Landscape and has worked as a gardener throughout San Diego for 22 years. For more information, call (619) 864-6651.