CHICAGO — For nearly 30 years, a colorful sidewalk-lined garden has drawn a crowd in Lakeview.

When you think of seasoned gardeners, Frank Capolla wouldn’t be the kind of guy who would come to mind, but for three decades he has been the man behind some of the most gorgeous flowers in the neighborhood.

For Capolla, each day starts with a set of gloves and a song as he settles into his happy place here on the corner of West Nelson Street and North Paulina Street in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.

A bed of more than 500 blossoms stretching from one end of the street to the other. Something Copolla takes the time to maybe brighten someone’s day.

The problem is the source of all the color and joy is the same thing driving him mad.

Ignoring a torn meniscus and the occasional back flare up, Copolla gardens simply for the love of the flowers. He said sometimes you got to get a little dirty to spread sunshine and Frank can’t think of any other corner he’d rather do it.

A lot of Copolla’s neighbors take the long route home just to be able to walk by and smell the flowers.