As the weather warms up and rainy days become a norm here in Northern Virginia, many have taken the time to turn a small patch of land into a garden landscape. And, while gardening is a great hobby to take part in during the global pandemic, it can also be quite challenging if you don’t know where to start.
Lucky for you, there are plenty of plant experts in the NoVA region who can help, including the horticulturists at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, who have launched several virtual offerings to better your garden this spring as the stay-at-home order remains in place.
On April 23, Mount Vernon started its annual Historic Plant & Garden Sale in honor of George Washington’s early days as a plantsman and a farmer. While typically this affair serves as an opportunity for local residents to explore the gardens of the estate and purchase plants grown on the property, this year the sale is taking place entirely online. The sale will continue until all flora and plants are sold out. Then, on Friday, May 1, Sunday, May 3, Tuesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 7, shoppers will have the opportunity to come to Mount Vernon and pick up their items curbside.
In addition to plants, annuals, perennials and heirlooms, online shoppers can choose from The General’s Choice plant line this year, which were inspired by the estate and designed by Greenhouse Manager Melanie Welles Creamer. The varieties include American beautyberry, American boxwood, common fig and so much more, all of which can be added to your at-home garden. Mount Vernon is also currently selling various garden accessories online, such as colonial black lanterns, suncatchers, a distressed outdoor clock and more.
While the Historic Plant & Garden Sale will only last about two weeks, aspiring gardeners can learn from Mount Vernon experts through several live and pre-recorded videos found on the organization’s website. The most recent course? A container gardening workshop, hosted by Welles Creamer.
For a full schedule of Mount Vernon’s daily workshops, which vary in topic each week, click here. Plus, Mount Vernon has a variety of other garden-focused resources, including virtual tours and fact sheets of the grounds, history lessons on gardening’s roots and so much more to keep you informed and entertained at home.
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