Gardens In Mount Vernon Neglected - When?

It is a well known fact that the gardens at Mount Vernon were alternately neglected and cultivated during the nineteenth century until the property was purchased by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in 1858. It is very doubtful that any of the herbaceous perennials in the flower garden today have any direct connection with the plants growing in the garden in the eighteenth century. There is little doubt that the dwarf English boxwood hedges which now dominate this garden were planted by the gardener in 1708, probably from stock plants obtained from General Washington's close friend, Colonel Henry Lee of Stratford.

The restoration policy of the Association restricts the plant material to that which was grown in the Virginia of General Washington's lifetime. This list of material is a long one. The sources include journals, letters, descriptions by travellers and the catalogs, periodicals and publications of that time.

The "high" or flower garden during the Spring is filled with the brilliant colors of Spring bulbs supplemented by a variety of early blooming perennials. A few of the more outstanding items include the bright, yellow madwort Alyssum saxatile; the white, alpine, bastard, tower mustard Arabis alpina; the hoary, mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium tomentosum; the evergreen, Cretan iberis, I. sempervirens; the white valerian, Centranthus ruber albus; and the feathered columbine meadow-rues, Thalictrum aquilegifolium and T. glaucum. The Chalcedonian and the Florentine iris, Iris susiana and I. germanica var. florentina; the common, creeping bugle, Ajuga replans, and the perennial flax, Limon perenne, introduce the blue shades of color. The yellow cowslip, Primula veth, is massed with the forget-me-not, Myosotis alpestris and groups of polyanthus, Primula polyantha, are located toward tire edges of the informal borders. The clove gilliflowers, Dianthus plumarius, are also favorites.

After the iris have bloomed, the buds of the old clumps of peonies, Paeonia officinalis, burst, and the deep pink and deep red blooms dominate every border in the garden until the next heavy rain. The greater, wild valerian, Valeriana officinalis, and the white lily, Lilium candidum, are effectively associated with the annual rocket larkspur, Delphinium ajacia. Unfortunately, the perennial bee larkspur does not develop properly within the confined areas between the high hedges of dwarf boxwood.

The yellow perennial tickseed, Coreopsis grandiflora; the yellow and the orange daylilies, Hemerocallis flava, and H. fulva reflect the strong early Summer sun. Greek valerian, Polemonium caeruleum, and the creeping, Greek valerian, P. replans, bloom with the herb bonnet, Geum coccineum, and the cardinal flowers, Lobelia cardinalis and L. siphilitica. The brilliant hue of the maltese-cross, Lychnis chalcedonica, is very much in evidence during the midsummer.

The everlasting pea, Lathyrus latifolius, climbs to fair height on the trellises against the north garden wall between espaliered cherry trees. The plants bloom profusely from early August. Summer perennial phlox, Phlox paniculata, does not thrive within the enclosure of the high boxwood hedges, but the many small clumps add much color to the midsummer garden.

A few plants of the golden rod, Solidago canadensis; the asters, Aster novae-angliae; the blue monk's-hood, Aconitum napellus; the perennial sunflower, Helianthus multiflorus; and the false chamomile, Boltonia asteroides, are all attractive among the profusion of annuals in the garden during the early Fall.

In maintaining the gardens at Mount Vernon it is significant to note from the available records that General Washington, despite many major distractions, had a continuing interest in the plantings around his home. He was in constant attendance upon the programs either in person or through correspondence.