Gardening

Green Spring Gardens

4603 Green Spring Road Alexandria, Va. 22312 703-642-5173 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring

Visit Green Spring Gardens for ideas and inspiration for gardening in the Washington metro area. Gardens feature trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, annuals, bulbs and vegetables that grow well in our region. • 22 themed gardens • Private garden tours • Art exhibits • Nature walks • Horticulture Center • Glasshouse • Library • Plant Shop • Event rental space • Gift Shop To book a private garden tour, call 703-941-7987. Cost is $12 per person for a group of two to 19; $10 per person for a group of 20 or more. Hours and Admission: Horticulture Center open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday, 12-4:30 p.m. Plant Shop open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday, 12-3 p.m. (Starting on April 15). Gift Shop open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Park grounds open dawn to dusk daily.

Events EcoSavvy Symposium - Feel-Good EcoSavvy Gardening

(Adults) Join us virtually for the 19th annual EcoSavvy Symposium, presented by VCE Green Spring Master Gardeners. Understand how gardening affects your physical, mental and spiritual health and learn sustainable gardening techniques using green plants to reclaim contaminated soil and groundwater. Class registrants will be emailed a link to the class meetings prior to the start of event.

1--2 hour lesson Location Day Time Code Date $

Virtual FCPA Sa 10am GRF.K8L9 3/4 $24/ea.

Plant Swap - Houseplants, Cuttings and Containers

(16-Adult) Join us for Green Spring Gardens’ 2nd annual Plant Swap! Bring your unwanted houseplants, cuttings and containers to swap with others or simply give away. A lecture and Master Gardener Help Desk will be included. Leave with new plants, containers, garden friends and expert advice. Rules and regulations of the swap will be emailed before the program.

1--2 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am 1AT.VWV5 4/8 $15/ea.

Child and Parent Programs Garden Sprouts Spring - Nature Playgroup

(3-5 yrs.) Your preschooler enjoys nature-themed toys and puzzles while you meet other playgroup parents one Monday a month. Through games, songs, activities and a garden walk we explore seasonal topics. Program will take place outdoors, weather permitting.

1--1 hour 30 minute program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn M 10:30am ZHJ.QZB5 4/10 $12/child GrnSprGardn M 10:30am ZHJ.UYNM 5/8 $12/child

Garden Artists - Ikebana for Kids

(7-15 yrs.) Create a fun Japanese-style floral design! Instructor Elizabeth Berry will introduce kids to this Asian art form and help them create an arrangement of their own to take home. No previous experience is needed. Please register for the program and supply fee. Kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who does not need to register for the program.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 1pm E7B.Z6VB 4/1 $15/child

Family/All Ages Garden Artists - Flower Pressing

(5-Adult) Learn the process of flower and leaf pressing, and make your own beautiful botanical creation to take home. Garden flower tour included. All attendees, including parents, must be registered for the program.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Su 1pm WGX.BLDC 3/19 $15/ea. GrnSprGardn Su 1pm WGX.ZKSL 4/16 $15/ea. GrnSprGardn Su 1pm WGX.NZ6P 5/14 $15/ea.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

(4-Adult) Join us the second Saturday of each month to learn about different aspects of nature and go on the hunt for themed objects around the park. All attendees, including parents, must be registered for the program.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10am VDE.AES6 4/8 $8/ea. GrnSprGardn Sa 10am VDE.ZF8F 5/13 $8/ea.

Family Fun - Plant Now, Harvest Later

(4-Adult) Explore our Edible Garden and learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin. Plant your own seed to come back and harvest in the fall! All attendees, including parents, must be registered for the program.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Su 1pm C1W.ZAP9 5/28 $10/ea.

Adult Programs Growing Plants in a Bag

(Adults) Don’t have space or the required light to grow vegetables? Try a grow bag! Learn how easy it is to grow beautiful vegetables and flowers using grow bags. Extension Master Gardener docents will teach you care requirements and benefits of grow bags, such as they are easy to move, provide better soil drainage, and build stronger roots for plants. Grow bags, soil medium and seeds will be provided.

1--1 hour 30 minute program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am X65.TZ3L 3/18 $23/ea.

Beyond the Cherry and Dogwood

(Adults) Wake up your garden with early blooming trees. Take a walk through the gardens with Green Spring horticulturist Adam Bucher and learn about late-winter and early-spring bloomers, new cultivars, and their care. Program takes place outside. Dress for the weather.

1--1 hour 30 minute program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am PK6.PNLR 3/25 $19/ea.

Hidden Gems of Green Spring

(Adults) Join Green Spring Gardens staff on a walk that highlights interesting and seldom seen parts of the gardens. Get the inside scoop on the dazzling plants that bloom in the quiet corners of Green Spring. Program takes place outside. Dress for the weather.

1--1 hour 30 minute program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 1pm UNW.JQYM 4/8 $19/ea.

Spring Garden Tour

(Adults) Enjoy a guided tour of Green Spring’s beautiful demonstration gardens with an Extension Master Gardener docent. Hear about our 18th century origins and our mission today. Find inspiration in our horticulturists’ plant choices and garden bed designs and take their ideas home to try in your own landscape. Garden tours run rain or shine.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10am AUH.WQZD 5/6 $12/ea. GrnSprGardn Sa 10am AUH.KAAR 6/3 $12/ea.

Forest Bathing Walk in the Gardens

(Adults) Experience Green Spring Gardens with all of your senses. Join Ana Ka’ahanui, co-founder of local nonprofit Capital Nature for a slow, meditative walk around the gardens. Contemplative, but more active than meditation, this forest bathing walk will help reduce blood pressure, boost immunity, and enhance mood and creativity. Decompress and feel a deeper connection with the natural world. Bring something to sit on the ground, which may be damp, and a water bottle. Dress for the weather.

1--2 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Su 12:30pm Z0Y.SKKM 5/7 $35/ea. GrnSprGardn Su 12:30pm Z0Y.99R1 6/4 $35/ea.

Garden Talks Garden Talk - Spring Cleaning in the Garden

(Adults) There is plenty of seasonal maintenance to do before summer arrives! Learn from Extension Master Gardener docents what you need to do to ensure that your plants are ready for the summer ahead, what needs pruning, what needs transplanting, and what needs mulch.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn F 1:30pm Q56.GL4T 4/7 $12/ea.

Garden Talk - Small-Space Veggie Gardening

(Adults) Don’t have a large yard? With a little creativity, even the smallest patio, deck or townhouse yard can be turned into a successful vegetable garden! Let Extension Master Gardener docents show you how to grow vegetables in a small space. Whatever your space constraints, you too can grow delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables!

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am 11B.N6ER 4/22 $12/ea.

Garden Talk - Problem Plants & Better Alternatives

(Adults) Fast-growing invasive plants spread like wildfire, covering your garden and anything that does not move! Give invasives an inch and they’ll take over your yard. Learn about Fairfax County’s new mandate against bamboo aggression and hear from Extension Master Gardener docents about the best native alternatives for your garden.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am AL8.KOA5 5/6 $12/ea.

Garden Talk - Gardening for Bees

(Adults) Bees are under threat from habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. Bees do more than make honey. Honey bees are also responsible for pollinating about one-third of our daily diet. Extension Master Gardener docents show you how to attract and nurture bees by growing a variety of plants that support them.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn F 1:30pm 3F6.OJ4Y 5/26 $12/ea.

Garden Talk - Townhouse Gardening

(Adults) Extension Master Gardener docents share tips for making a big impact in smaller landscapes. This session will be useful not only for townhouse owners but for anyone looking for creative solutions for a small garden space.

1--1 hour program Location Day Time Code Date $

GrnSprGardn Sa 10:30am QKL.H92W 6/10 $12/ea.