Fairfax County, Virginia

Along the Potomac River, near Washington, DC is threaded a collection of gardens that tell of the history and beauty of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Itinerary

Along the Potomac River is a collection of gardens that tell of the history and beauty of the Virginia Commonwealth.

Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens reflect a meticulous farmer and gardener. In his Upper Garden find a wide variety of flowers and trees, boxwood planted in Washington's day, and vegetable beds that have been restored to their original size based on careful archaeological excavations.

The Lower Garden, known as one of the most noteworthy Colonial Revival gardens in America, supplied fresh produce and vegetables. The Fruit Garden and Nursery contain cherry, apple, and other fruit trees espaliered along the walls and cordoned onto fences.

Garden and landscape tours www.mountvernon.org

River Farm

River Farm, owned by George Washington, serves as the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society, one of the oldest national organizations in America. On 25 acres overlooking the Potomac River, April and May bring daffodils, tulips, magnolia, wisteria, pawpaw, azaleas, Japanese andromeda, lilacs, fothergilla, silver weeping pear, rhododendron, trillium, tamarisk, redbud, hellebores, dogwood, azalea, lilac, tulip trees and roses.

Information www.ahs.org

Green Spring Gardens

The Historic Green Spring Gardens is a "must visit" for a year-round gold mine of information and inspiration as an “outdoor classroom” for a rich history with colonial origins.

Information www.greenspring.org

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, a 95 acre complex, features three distinct sections of native plant collections. The largest is the Potomac Valley Collection based on the floristic makeup of the Potomac River Valley, the Virginia Native Wetland Collection is nurtured by a small wetland lake, and the Virginia Native Tree collection contains some of the State’s best native trees.

Information www.nvrpa.org

Take a trip today www.fxva.com

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