From the quiet expanses of Turkey Run Park to George Washington’s historic estate at Mount Vernon, a dazzling variety of both naturally occurring and cultivated flowers awaits throughout spring and summer along the glistening waters of the Potomac River. Drive the George Washington Memorial Parkway to experience breathtaking scenes found nowhere else in the nation.
Begin your journey two miles from the northern end of the parkway, and spend some time away from the urban rush at Turkey Run Park, administered by the National Park Service. Home to at least 591 species of wildflowers, the park hosts the biggest and most brilliant display of flowers in the state of Virginia. Take a relaxing hike to Camel’s Back or through Gypsy Gulch and enjoy miles of unbelievable vistas. Be sure to keep an eye out for rare varieties in the spring, such as the bloodroot, trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, and Virginia bluebell.
Continuing south on the parkway, stop in Arlington, VA to see the Netherlands Carillon. Spend a few minutes admiring the thousands of flowers planted around the monument and listen to the chorus chimed by the carillon’s automated bells, a song symbolic of the friendship between the United States and the Dutch nation. Each springtime beautiful tulips blossom from bulbs imported fresh from the Netherlands.
Across the Potomac in Washington D.C., pink and white bunches of cherry blossoms surround our nation’s capitol with fragrance and color each year when over 3,700 cherry trees burst into bloom. Originally planted as a gift from the Vicountess Chinda of Japan in 1912, the trees are honored each year at the National Cherry Blossom Festival during their peak bloom at the end of March.
In June, visit the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve to see an explosion of color across its wetlands. Hike along the main trail, known as “Haul Road,” as you explore over 475 acres of tidal marsh and swamp forest. Spend some time fishing or simply enjoying natural beauties such as the halberd-leaved rose mallow, jimsonweed, and crocus, as well as several hundred other species.
English Boxwood Garden at Mount Vernon Estate (VA) [3]
Finish the day at the parkway’s southern terminus, where you’ll experience the architectural genius of our nation’s first president. Spanning 500 acres of Virginia’s beautiful greenery, the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens today offer nearly the same views President George Washington designed over 200 years ago. Modeled after British fashion, the gardens follow a naturalistic series of walkways and native flora expertly patterned around an awe-inspiring array of flowers worthy of any visitor’s admiration. Find arrangements of larkspur, foxglove, crown imperial, cardinal flower, jasmine, and guelder rose alongside the orangerie, a greenhouse that contains plants from nearly every corner of the world.
Starting in spring and continuing through summer, discover a world of natural beauty near our nation’s capitol. Whether it’s a casual stroll through ancient gardens designed by the Father of Our Country or a carefree walk across a multicolored sea of flowers in preserves and parks, the George Washington Memorial Parkway delivers an unrivaled experience.
