At Montpelier in Orange County one can tour the restored Federal style home of James and Dolley Madison as well as the early 1900 duPont garden restored by the Garden Club of Virginia. When Annie duPont began planning her garden there were vestiges of a Madison garden, but what remained had fallen into disrepair. Mrs. duPont called in landscape architect Oglesby Paul to help with renewing the terraces and the reestablishment of the famous horseshoe shaped terrace of the Madison era. Later, her daughter Marion engaged Charles Gillette to help to refine the garden. The boxwood hedges were rejuvenated and herb parterres, perennial borders, and rose arbors were planted in the two- acre garden. Brick walks and steps were constructed and marble statuary and enormous marble urns, imported from Europe, were placed on the upper terrace. A brick wall, with an imposing entry including a gilt wrought- iron gate, was built to enclose the garden. This stately formal garden had declined by the time Marion duPont Scott left the house to the National Trust in 1983.

The Garden Club of Virginia began to help with the restoration of the duPont garden in the early 1990s. By consulting contemporary photographs, it was possible to see what had been planted in the beds in Mrs. duPont's day. A plan incorporating some of the plants, but requiring less maintenance, was devised. The brick wall has been repointed and the brick stairs restored. Handrails have been placed at the steps that lead down though the garden, and the lion statues that grace one set of steps, have been gently cleaned and conserved. The gates at the top and bottom of the garden wall have been restored. Tall American hollies, southern magnolias and a China fir, all planted by the duPont family, frame the interior perimeter of the garden. Old tree peonies against the brick wall at the bottom of the garden are magnificent in the spring. In the summer, bright annuals that can take the heat, such as portulaca, are planted in some of the marble containers.

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Montpelier Garden Entry

Horseshoe Terrace

Sometimes recreating a historic landscape presents a conundrum or, as one of the P. G. Wodehouse's characters would say, "wheels within wheels."  Thomas Jefferson said, "There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me."  He, many of his contemporaries and others who have gardened throughout history were greatly interested in exotics and took great pains to obtain seeds and plants from all over the world to enhance their surroundings. Some of these exotic plants are now considered invasive. So how do you honor the efforts of these diligent gardeners while keeping the larger landscape free of the likes of Scotch broom and multiflora roses?

In June 1985, the very same month and year that Sandy Mudrinich received her B.S. in horticulture from Virginia Tech, she started work as an intern on the Grounds crew at Montpelier. By 1987, she was hired as full time staff. The walled garden had received scant attention in the decade before it was given to the National Trust. The most pressing task, according to Sandy, was reclaiming the duPont garden from the invasives such as trumpet creeper, honeysuckle, and poison ivy. Sandy laughs when she notes that it was a luxury to be able to do a big, messy project such as installing an irrigation system before the tourists arrived with the opening of Montpelier in 1987. In the lengthy crescent beds there were over eighty varieties of day lilies, as well as, peonies and bearded iris, for which Sandy and staff did an inventory as an accurate historical record. Statuary, which had been removed and placed elsewhere, was returned to the garden. Sadly, glass greenhouses built outside the main garden by the duPonts and used for raising annuals from seed and for plant propagation, were dismantled in the late 1990's.

Sandy Mudrinich

Sandy has been grateful for the GCV involvement in the garden beginning in 1992 and for the expertise and guidance of GCV Landscape Architects, first Rudy Favretti and currently Will Rieley. Their expertise and sensitivity in interpreting the garden have helped to bring it alive in the present day. Mr. Rieley has created plans for the upper perennial beds of the garden which will provide more summer color. Sandy's favorite feature of the garden is the remarkable trees. There is a tall Dawn Redwood planted by the GCV that is especially appreciated. This garden is beautiful in all seasons but she thinks the spring when the crescent beds are in full bloom is one of the best times to visit. Sandy has been tending the duPont garden for almost thirty years. She still smiles when visitors come through the gate for the first time and say "Wow" after their first glance at the restored Annie DuPont garden.

Garden tips from Sandy

When feeding boxwoods, put two inches (and no more!) of composted horse manure under them every year. If this is done properly, the boxwood roots will grow into the compost as it settles into the soil. The composted manure will keep the roots moist while enriching the soil as it breaks down even further.

Montpelier is in an area that straddles two zones (6 and 7), so tender perennials often don't make it through the winter. Pineapple sage, which happens to be a tender perennial, is a favorite in our herb garden. To avoid having to plant it every spring, we will leave it to face the winter without cutting off the dead stems. The stems are hollow, so if the stems are cut, water will collect in the crown area, freeze when the temperature drops, and definitely kill the plant. Just leave the plant alone until all chance of frost is over in early spring. If you're lucky (and, yes, luck is needed since an extremely cold winter might kill them anyway), the plants will reemerge in the spring.

An excellent ground cover used often by Mr. Rieley at properties is Hypericum calycinum (St. John's Wort) due to its tough nature, ability to survive both in sun and shade and after being established, tolerating both drought and wet conditions. This Hypericum has dark evergreen leaves with attractive yellow cup-shaped flowers in summer, growing approximately 12 inches high. This lovely ground cover spreads rapidly by underground stems to fill in the desired area and is easy to maintain. In places with very cold winters some top die back occurs, but shearing or high mowing works very well in the early spring to encourage renewal growth. As there are no serious insect or disease problems, Hypericum calycinum is a fine ground cover for stabilizing banks as well as growing well under trees.

Hypericum calycinum

Hypericum at Montpelier

 Did  You Know?

"Look twice and cut once" is a tried and true rule for pruning trees and shrubs. Pages 36 - 43 in the Maintenance Manual are devoted to "Pruning".  Technique, Growth Habits, Timing, Maintenance Pruning,Renewal Pruning, Hedges, Tools/Safety, and Tree Pruning are all discussed in this eight page section. Many trees and shrubs benefit from being pruned in late winter. Pruning while the plants are dormant allows for viewing the branch structure more easily; therefore, making it easier to identify the dead or diseased branches that need to be removed. Judicious winter pruning invigorates the plants for growth in the spring.  Also, pruning should be limited to removal of no more than a third of the total bud and leaf-bud-bearing branches. The following is a short list of plants that will benefit from late winter pruning: Crape Myrtles, Vitex, Smoke Tree, Fruit Trees, Roses, Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborscens and Boxwood.

In the Garden Now

• Thoroughly water all plants before the ground freezes.  Continue to water broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens throughout the winter months, if necessary.
• Check garden throughout winter for heaved plants.
• Check stored bulbs and tubers to be sure they are not drying out.
• Mulch with compost 2 inches thick.  Leave "breathing space" around main stems and trunks. Compost puts nutrients back into soil, increases soil temperature and protects roots.
• Lawns may be aerated at this time.
• Ponds should be cleared of leaves and debris.  Remove, clean and store pumps and filters.  A ball placed in the pond keeps a small area from freezing, allowing oxygen to reach fish.
• Brush heavy snow off shrubs to prevent damage.
• Alternatives to salt (sodium chloride) on walks are sand or calcium chloride. (Helpful tip: Coat a snow shovel with non-sticking cooking spray so snow sides off.  Repeat as needed.)
• Avoid walking on frozen grass or ground covers to prevent damage.
• Prune evergreens before new growth appears in the spring.
• Order any trees, shrubs, perennials, or seeds to be planted in the spring.
• Clean and sharpen garden tools.  Sterilize with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. (Helpful tip: paint tool handles red or orange to easily spot in the garden.)
• Clean clay pots with vinegar water to remove salt deposits. Use bleach solution to sterilize. DO NOT mix the two.

In the Garden Late Winter

• Remove leaves and debris from shrub and perennial beds.
• Divide & replant perennials not done in the fall.
• Cut back liriope with a lawn mower.
• Move small shrubs or trees from one spot to another, if needed.
• Watch for slugs and snails as temperature warms.
• Plant early flowering shrubs.