George Washington Archives

The Colonial Garden Heritage at Rockingham

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 7, 1783 On this day, General George Washington penned his historic Farewell Address to his troops at Rockingham, marking a pivotal moment in American history. Today, this historic site continues to tell…

Mount Vernon’s Green-Thumbed Guardians: The MVLA Story

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 2, 1874 On this day, dear gardening enthusiasts, we find ourselves transported to a moment of great significance in the preservation of America’s horticultural heritage. It was on this very date that…

Martha’s Green Legacy: The Enduring Kitchen Garden of Mount Vernon

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 2, 1731 On this day, dear garden enthusiasts, we celebrate the birth of a most remarkable woman, one whose influence extended far beyond the hallowed halls of the nascent American government. I…

When Noon Turned to Night: The Mysterious Dark Day of 1780

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. May 19, 1780 On this day, dear readers, we find ourselves transported to a most peculiar and unsettling moment in New England’s history. Imagine, if you will, a day so dark that it…

Batty Langley: The Revolutionary Who Reshaped English Gardens

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. September 14, 1699 On this day, dear readers, we turn our attention to a most fascinating figure in the annals of garden history – one whose very name seems plucked from a whimsical…

George Washington

The Gardening President April 30, 1789 On this day, George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States. A gardening President, George Washington oversaw all aspects of the land at Mount Vernon. George had a personal copy of Batty Langley’s New Principles of Gardening. Inspired by the 18th-century author, George adopted…

April 30, 2019 Raisin Day, George Washington, William Starling Sullivant, Bertha Stoneman, Samuel Mills Tracy, David Douglas, Matt Mattus, Tulip Turkestanica, and Washington’s Botanical Garden

I realize you are very excited to get going in your own garden. But don’t forget to schedule some time this spring to visit other gardens. The gardens of friends, neighbors, or public gardens can provide you with inspiration and teach you something new – even when you didn’t think you’d learn anything. #BTW This…

Mount Vernon: George Washington’s Favorite Garden was his Trial Garden

“George often referred to his favorite of his four gardens: the botanical garden. He called it “the little garden by the salt house,” or rather fondly, his ‘little garden.'” April 30, 1789 On this day, George Washington was sworn in as the United States’ first president. A gardening President, George Washington, oversaw his incredible…