Walking Tour of George Washington’s Beloved Trees

George Washington’s 500-acre Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens includes 300 acres of forest and 60 acres of lawn and gardens. While relandscaping the estate in 1785, Washington planted hundreds of trees, transforming the property from a formal to a naturalistic landscape. Today, many of those beautiful, historic, and majestic trees still grace the estate’s grounds and forest. On Thursday afternoon, join Guest Horticulturist Dean Norton and experts from Bartlett Trees, the exclusive tree care company of Mount Vernon, on a walking tour to view stunning specimens dating back to Washington’s time, along with other notable historic trees. Along the way, Dean and the Bartlett Trees arborists will discuss strategies for maintaining these trees for years to come.

Tree Care and Preservation Field Study

The Garden School will conclude on Friday afternoon with a specially designed field study offering participants the opportunity to take a first-hand look at tree care during a visit to the American Horticultural Society’s River Farm headquarters. The Care of Trees, the exclusive tree care company of the American Horticultural Society, will have arborists on hand to teach attendees about root health, juvenile tree pruning, structural integrity of trees, and maintaining optimal soil biology using compost tea applications.