Manager's Message
by Judy Zatsick, Site Manager, Green Spring Gardens
Judy Zatsick. Photo by Lisa Jackson
Happy New Year! Whatever brings you to Green Spring—gardens, history, programming, art, teas, peace and quiet, exercise, our wonderful community, or some of it all, 2024 will be a year of changes at Green Spring Gardens.
The Youth and Family education team updated the scripts for our popular field trip programs. Volunteers have been engaged to learn the new material through orientation meetings. All of the trips have been organized as part of our mission to share our horticultural resources with our community and inspire future plant lovers.
Our beloved Historic House will be getting some TLC this year. Debbie Waugh, Site Historian, is overseeing the construction of a museum case to secure items of interest from Green Spring’s history so that they can be displayed and enjoyed by our visitors.
In 2023 the house got much needed replacement shutters, which elevated the charm of our lovely 1784 structure. This year, the stoop will be replaced with solid slabs of sandstone, a perfect accent to the entry of the house. Horticulturist Parker Jennings, who has a keen eye for classics, has given the gardens around the house a formal lean, much to the delight of our classical garden lovers.
Green Spring has a rare magnolia bog located near the ponds that needs repair. Restoration of the magnolia bog and replacement of our deteriorating boardwalk will be taking place soon. For our guests who enjoy the ponds area and our Native Plant Trail, we’ll try to schedule the work efficiently so that you can enjoy the loop trail walks again soon. Check our website for the schedule. We will also post signs, and FROGS will alert members through social media.
Our plans for a moon gate will come to fruition this year. Lorton Stone, LLC will construct the moon gate feature. We are excited to partner with this highly qualified firm whose masonry projects include the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, National Garden, and Capitol and Memorial Bridge, to name just a few.
FROGS board member Sunny Greene provides details on garden renovations planned for this year in her article on the Vista Garden. Check out the changes in the Waterwise Garden too. Be prepared to be inspired by sustainable garden practices and exciting plant choices!
Last year, our Garden Plot program opened two accessible plots—at Hogge Park near Bailey’s Crossroads and at Laurel Hill in Lorton. The raised beds allow gardeners of all abilities the possibility to grow fresh food. Over 130,000 pounds of food scraps collected at our Farmer’s Markets were turned into compost and kept out of our landfills. This year we hope to achieve plastic-free markets, using compostable bags to keep plastic out of our streams and landfills.
With our dynamic and hard-working staff, FROGS, and other dedicated volunteers, we have created a wonderful gardening community here at Green Spring. I look forward to all that we can accomplish together in 2024!
