Gardens that Educate and Inspire

Celebrate National Gardening Week by taking a virtual tour of eight gardens maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia and six public gardens in the Washington metropolitan area to see examples of good gardening techniques and gain inspiration for your own home landscape. Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills, a coordinator at the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden in Arlington, Virginia, showcases best management practices and design concepts employed by her fellow demonstration garden leaders in a wide variety of settings. She also shares highlights from public gardens she has visited regularly for the past 10 years. Elaine is a creative force behind the resource Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic on mgnv.org.

Zoom session, recorded June 10, 2022

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Garden List

MASTER GARDENER DEMONSTRATION GARDENS

Organic Vegetable Garden
Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 North Marcy Road, Arlington, VA 22207

• Demonstrates full range of organic gardening techniques
• See monthly essays from garden leaders and fact sheets on cover crops
• Annual Pepper Fest
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties Wednesday mornings

Sunny Garden
Bon Air Park, Wilson Boulevard at North Lexington Street, Arlington VA 22205

• Demonstrates perennials for sunny locations and new section of native trees and shrubs
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties alternating Saturday & Monday mornings

Quarry Shade Garden
Bon Air Park, Wilson Boulevard at North Lexington Street, Arlington VA 22205

• Demonstrates gardening in shade with many native plants
• See brochure with plant list, tips for gardening in the shade, essays on shade garden plants
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties alternating Thursday & Saturday mornings

Glencarlyn Garden
Glencarlyn Branch of Arlington Library, 300 South Kensington Street, Arlington, VA 22204

• Demonstrates climate-conscious gardening and botanical diversity with themed gardens
• Annual Spring Celebration & Plant Sale (April or May) and AutumnFest (September)
• See educational videos and gardening essays produced by the coordinators
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties alternating Sundays & Mondays, am or pm, depending on season

Tribute Garden
Small Space Garden
Fairlington Community Center, 3308 South Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22206

• Demonstrate native plants for dry conditions and native and edible plants suitable for patios and balconies in narrow beds, raised beds, and containers
• See plans for small gardens
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties & plant clinic on Sunday mornings, at same time as Fairlington Farmers Market

Simpson Park Garden
420 East Monroe Avenue (Del Ray), Alexandria, VA 22301

• Demonstrates a wide variety of plants and support for wildlife in themed gardens
• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties on Tuesday & Thursday mornings

Pollinator Garden
Buddie Ford Nature Center, 5750 Sanger Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311

• Meet the gardeners! Extension Master Gardener work parties Saturday mornings

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PUBLIC GARDENS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, DC, & MARYLAND

Nature Conservancy Native Plant Garden

4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (walled garden behind HQ building)

• Admission free; garden open all hours
• Plant information in box at entrance

Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 (access via Witch Hazel Road)

• Admission free
• Grounds open dawn to dusk (gate locked at 5:00 p.m.)
• Horticulture Center: M-Sat 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sun 12:00-4:30 p.m.
• Plant Shop: Closed until April 2022
• (703)-642-5173

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA 22182
(703) 255-3631

• Entrance fee $3.00 for 55+ (charged Mar-Nov); Annual pass $35.00 (single)/$50.00 (family)
• Gardens open except for major holidays or when ice or snow cover trails
• Jan-Mar 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Apr-Oct: 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Nov-Dec: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

U.S. Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20001
(202) 225-8333

• Admission free
• Conservatory currently closed
• National Garden (gated outdoor garden) open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for Christmas Day
• Bartholdi Park open daily from dawn to dusk
• Virtual tours & online programs

U.S. National Arboretum
3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002
(202)245-4523

• Admission free
• Grounds open 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. every day except Christmas Day
• Administration Building currently closed; Chinese Pavilion closed for winter months

Brookside Gardens
1800 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902 (in Wheaton Regional Park)
(301) 962-1400

• Admission Free
• Outdoor gardens: Sunrise-4:00 p.m.; Buildings: 10 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Closed Monday)
• Virtual tour, classes, annual GreenScapes Symposium