34th Spring Wildflower Garden Tour
Date/Time
Sunday, April 24, 2022
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location
Prince William County
Categories
The Prince William Wildflower Society welcomes the public to its 34th Annual Spring Garden Tour, an educational event to highlight the use of native plants in the garden. All featured gardens use a mix of native and nonnative plants. The Arrington and Wheatcraft gardens have been featured on past tours; the Attanaro garden is new this year. Visit the gardens in any order between the hours of 12 noon and 5 p.m., rain or shine. To minimize Covid risks, please maintain social distance.
For further information, contact Nancy Vehrs at nvehrs1@yahoo.com. View/Download the Garden Tour Flyer (PDF).
ARRINGTON GARDEN – 8388 Briarmont Lane, Manassas, VA 20112
In this large naturalistic garden, paths curve through shady areas where woodland phlox, wild geranium, Jacob’s ladder, and bloodroot grow along with trillium, yellowroot, and goldenseal. Native groundcovers such as green and gold, crested iris, foamflower, and several varieties of creeping phlox are used throughout the garden. Native ferns include beech, Christmas, cinnamon, lady, ostrich, royal, and woodsia. In addition to oaks, hickories, and beeches, woody plants include sweet shrub, red buckeye, fothergilla, oakleaf hydrangea, and several spring-blooming native azalea species. A small pond is landscaped with moisture-loving plants. In areas that get a few hours of sun, pollinator beds are planted with later blooming native perennials. Rehab space for ailing plants and beds for wildflowers grown for the PWWS plant sale are inside a fenced area. Turf grass is a low priority in this garden, and lawn areas and grassy paths contain moss, violets, and various other native and non-native species.
Arrington Garden Photo by Nancy Vehrs
ATTANARO GARDEN – 6151 Occoquan Forest Drive, Manassas, VA 20112
This garden sits on a ridge of Oak-Hickory-Beech Forest above the Occoquan River. About half of the one-acre property is actively gardened. Since 2001, only Virginia natives were planted, most native to Prince William County. The garden blends as much as possible with the surrounding woods. It was one of the first certified Audubon at Home Wildlife Habitats in the county. A two-year-old swale garden parallels Occoquan Forest Drive. Initial plantings of fast-spreading lizard’s-tail and northern sea oats inhibit erosion and withstand rushing stormwater, stiltgrass, and browsing deer. The front yard is a combination of volunteers and “deer proof” groundcovers that like dry shade under beech trees or soggy gravel near the driveway’s edge. Part sun to full shade in the backyard, bordered by a native shrub hedge and a wood fence that excludes deer, allow a variety of plants selected for blossoms, berries, and seeds over three seasons. A small pond provides a year-round birdbath, a home for koi and green frogs, and a nursery for American toads and wood frogs.
WHEATCRAFT GARDEN – 8655 Weir Street, Manassas, VA 20110
In a surprisingly wild setting in the city, enter this garden under an arbor of trumpet honeysuckle and American wisteria. Mature hardwoods provide shade for a woodland garden behind the house and for a dramatic slope down to a small ravine. An observation deck overlooks this area, and a narrow circular path leads through it. Redbuds, dogwoods, and clumps of Christmas fern occur naturally on the steep slope. Colorful Virginia bluebells, wood poppy, toothwort, wild geranium, white violets, and blue woodland phlox can be seen from the path. More wildflowers including columbine, Jacob’s ladder, bleeding heart, trillium, and nonnative hellebore are planted beside paths leading through the garden. Serviceberry and viburnum are planted near the house, and a large bed planted with bulbs at the front of the property provides additional color. Throughout the property whimsical decorations delight visitors.
Wheatcraft Home Garden with Decorations, Manassas
Directions to the three gardens on Sunday, April 24, Noon – 5 p.m.
Use your favorite mapping program or the general directions below. Watch for small bright pink directional signs near the gardens. One garden is in the City of Manassas and the other two are south of the city. Start at any garden; they are listed in alphabetical order here.
Arrington Garden: From center of the City of Manassas, Take Rt. 234 Business/Grant Ave/Dumfries Rd south. Turn right to continue on Rt. 234S. Turn left onto Smith Drive, then right onto gravel Briarmont Lane to 8388 on the left. From Woodbridge, take Prince William Parkway north, turning left to continue onto parkway at traffic signal with Liberia Ave. Turn left at Rt. 234 S, then left onto Smith Drive as above. Right on Briarmont to 8388 on the left. Park on Briarmont. Transportation will be available for those who need a ride up the steep driveway
Attanaro Garden: From the intersection of Liberia Avenue and the Prince William Parkway in the City of Manassas, proceed south on the Prince William Parkway, Rt. 294. Turn left at the signal for Yates Ford Road, then right turn onto Davis Ford Road. Take sharp left turn onto Occoquan Forest Drive; 6151 is on the left. From Woodbridge and the Prince William Parkway, turn right onto Davis Ford Road, then right at Occoquan Forest; 6151 on the left.
Wheatcraft Garden: From I-66, go south on Sudley Road, Rt. 234. Turn left onto Grant Avenue. Turn left onto Weir Street. From Woodbridge: Take the PW Parkway toward Manassas; turn right onto Liberia Avenue and cross Rt. 28. Turn left onto Portner Avenue. Turn right onto Weir Street. Continue on Weir, crossing Grant Avenue. House is on the right in the cul-de-sac.