As April showers prepare to bring May flowers, it’s the perfect time for gardening enthusiasts and families to engage in activities around the DMV. This spring, our local area brings multiple opportunities to truly take in the local nature with a variety of enriching nature walks, family events, garden tours, and educational classes. So, get outside and enjoy this time with your loved ones.

Garden Tours

Garden tours offered this month range in focus from historical to classic spring and woodland gardens. Starting on April 9th, Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens will be offering a Gardener’s Focus Tour that explores the seasonal focal points of their garden and freshly-bloomed, colorful bulbs. A similar tour offered by Hillwood begins on April 24th; the Woodlands Tour explores the plants along their woodland path. Both of these tours inform you of the design process of the garden and will be led by a professional gardener. On April 20th, Alexandria provides a unique opportunity to see where nature meets history in the Old Town, as well as exploring Mount Vernon and Green Spring Gardens. Lastly, the Carlyle House Historic Park is putting on open house tours of the estate to celebrate historic garden week! Join them on April 20th to see the challenges of maintaining a historic garden during climate change. These tours each offer a unique look at different aspects of designing, maintaining, and embracing gardens within an estate.

Nature Walks

Take advantage of the guided nature walks offered this month! These journeys are chances to get moving while embracing the great outdoors of Northern Virginia and neighborhoods of DC. Beginning on April 2nd, Meadowlark Gardens will be offering a serene, meditative guided walk and tour through the 95 acres of land on the property. If you’re looking for a peaceful morning walk with a few interesting facts about our local area sprinkled in, this is the event for you. Looking for a picturesque view of bluebell flowers? Follow the Bluebell Trail at Bull Run and be entranced by the sea of blue on April 6th and 11th. An opportunity to ground yourself within nature arises at Hillwood Estate along the woodland path starting on April 7th. Slow down and reset your mind before heading into a busy week with this Guided Forest Bathing Walk. A walk that celebrates everything springtime is offered on April 20th at the Potomac Overlook Regional Park; this family-friendly event (ages 7+) is an interactive and educational walk where you learn to spot signs of spring. Bring your family and soak up these enlightening tips in the sun!

Family Fun In The Gardens

There are plenty of options for family fun around the DC metropolitan area. For our gardeners-in-training, Hillwood Museum, Meadowlark Gardens, and Green Spring Gardens are offering nature-based preschool programs to get the toddlers and young children involved in the environment. Expanding on this age group, Storytime on the Farm at Temple Hall Farm gets children aged 0-6 familiar with farms, animals, and nature in general. Family Fun Spring Fairy Houses at Green Spring Gardens is another nature based arts and crafts event for ages 5+. Enjoy this fantasy search with your children!

For activities that cater to children, teens, and adults, the Oatlands Garden Grand Reopening is the perfect place for everyone! Get tours, attend talks, and participate in crafts with the whole family on April 6th. Another family fun adventure is storytelling partnered with a walk through the forest at Winkler Botanical Preserve. For an overnight activity, enjoy the bluebell weekend at the Bull Run Campground. Open the summer camping season with this fun, scenic adventure on April 12th-13th. Explore your creativity through art creation with reclaimed materials led by Miriam Cutelis at Meadowlark Gardens. Regardless of your experience level, this activity welcomes everyone, and participants will create a memorable keepsake! Before beginning this activity, get inspired with the “From the Ground Up” art show curated by the instructor of the art class.

Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day, participate in the volunteer service day series at Potomac Overlook Regional Park. Learn the importance of helping your community and keeping the environment clean! Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens will also be hosting an Earth Day celebration with Hillwood’s Environmental Action Team. Celebrate the beauty of the Earth with a sunset kayak session that features the indigenous birds and predators in our area. Join Matt Felperin and bald eagles, osprey, and other wildlife on this tour.

Garden Educational Classes

Kicking off the classes for April is a feature on how to incorporate underappreciated and unusual perennials at Green Spring Gardens on April 5th. This garden is also offering a class on Japanese-style floral design and bee friendly gardening! Winkler Botanical Preserve will also be having a class on bees, the pollination process, and how to help them find a home in your garden. Highlighting the Virginia Bluebells, Bull Run is hosting two workshops on how to capture the natural beauty of these flowers. Design classes are popular this month. To prepare for summer, visit the Shade Display Tour at Merrifield Garden Center to learn how to naturally incorporate shade in your garden. Merrifield has another class on designing containers for spring gardens. Learn how to select plants with intent and design for a purpose. To learn about seasonal arrangements, attend the virtual class on floral design organized by Hillwood Museum.

This season is not only for the awakening of spring nature, but also about our local community and connecting with other gardeners. For green-thumbed people of all experience levels, these events offer a wealth of opportunities to connect, learn, and grow. Embrace the rejuvenating spirit of spring this month, and remember to give back to our planet on Earth Day! Here’s to a season of growth, learning, and flourishing landscapes.

Reach Out!

Getting inspired? Looking for advice or professional expertise? Need help executing your dream vision? Schedule a consultation today with Brian Daly Designs to get the conversation started. If you have any questions regarding must see local gardens, timeline for planning spring landscapes, or anything else, please reach out to me at briandalydesigns@gmail.com and I’d love to help. We wish you a happy and active start to the spring!