Join leading voices in the fields of history, horticulture, and landscape design as they explore revolutionary methods for stewarding gardens and landscapes in the face of environmental challenges.
The Mount Vernon Symposium is endowed by the generous support of The Robert H. Smith Family Foundation and Lucy S. Rhame. The event takes place May 30, 2025 – June 1, 2025 — All Day. In-Person Cost: $500 for General Public; $400 for Members and Donors
Includes all Lectures and Meals
Loccated at the George Washington Presidential Library
Virtual: Watch in real-time or through July 2 (30 days after the event) $75 General Public
“Judiciously Cultivated:” Revolutionary Gardens, Future Visions
From saving seeds to implementing a seven-year crop rotation system, George Washington intended his fields and gardens to be “judiciously” and sustainably cultivated, ensuring their survival for seasons to come.
As Washington did, other early landscape designers, botanists, and free and enslaved gardeners and farmers experimented, innovated, and revolutionized methods for caring for their gardens, fields, and land. Often, they did so in the face of dramatic climate shifts, exhausted soil, and dwindling natural resources.
Join leading scholars, horticulturists, and landscape designers as they explore these histories and share behind-the-scenes insights into how they’re carrying Washington’s message forward, working creatively to design, manage, and protect green spaces for future generations.
All lectures take place in the David M. Rubenstein Leadership Hall within the Washington Library. The Washington Presidential Library has a partnership with the Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Belvoir Alexandria South, the closest hotel to the Mount Vernon estate. Book a stay for nights between May 30 and June 1 to take advantage of their exclusive, special rate. Call the hotel directly at (703) 619-7026, and ask for your Mount Vernon discount.
Be sure to check out George Washington’s Mount Vernon at mountvernon.org or go to libraryprograms@mountvernon.org
Also, check out the video devoted to George Washington’s Gardens at @BobbleheadGeorge and @mountvernon for a tour of the beautiful gardens at George Washington’s Mount Vernon! Mr. Raymond, Mr. Graham, & Mr. Gimbi take a close look at George and Martha Washington’s Upper Gardens, Lower Gardens, Botanical Gardens, and Green House.
The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association was the first national historic preservation organization and is the oldest women’s patriotic society in the United States. Its pioneering efforts in the field of preservation set an important precedent and have served as a model for many. This intrepid group of American patriots have been preserving and promoting George Washington’s Mount Vernon for more than 160 years. They continue to restore and maintain the Mansion, grounds, and outbuildings so that the millions of people who visit each year can experience the estate as it looked at the time of Washington’s death in 1799. They are proud that Mount Vernon does not accept government funding. They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and rely solely upon patriotic individuals, foundations, and corporations to help preserve George Washington’s home and to educate visitors from all over the world.
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