Upper Garden Gets Tiny Shoots and Blooms
Mount Vernon’s garden staff has undertaken a considerable project redoing George Washington’s Upper Garden. All changes are based on an archaeological study that the estate did so that the garden could be made more accurate to Washington’s time.
Below is an update from Mount Vernon’s director of horticulture, Dean Norton, on the nascent tiny shoots and blooms that are popping all over the garden:
“Since mid-November the gardeners have been planting in the restored upper garden beds. It all began with getting the bulbs in the ground before the ground froze and any perennials we could get in the ground that had been dug from the old beds were returned to the upper garden enclosure . From that point on right through the winter until now we have been planting unless the ground was frozen. The shrubs were planted around the outside border and in the flower border, the boxwood edging was planted over many weeks. More recently fruit trees have been planted which included the transplanting of several very large existing fruit trees. The grapes have now been planted and the first crop of vegetables are in the ground as well. The garden is coming to life.
“The large planting beds in the upper garden are surrounded by a 10′ border that contains bulbs, flowers, roses, shrubs and fruit trees. That part of the garden would be considered the pleasure garden. In the middle of the cultivated beds are the vegetables. In the shield shaped bed are several grape trellises.”
April 11th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
What gorgeous plants! And all sorts of lovely metaphors about rebirth and awakening; after such a long winter, I’m delighted to see such hopeful stirrings of nature. I feel anticipation about my own garden! And so looking forward to seeing everything in person this week at the groundbreaking of Washington’s long-deserved library.