Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Trip to Washington D.C.

We decided to go to some historic spots while we were in Washington D.C.. First stop was Mt. Vernon.

photo credit: CK Worley
photo credit: CK Worley

These are both backyard shots.
All the trees were still bare from this very cold winter. I did see a Tulip Poplar that had been planted in 1785. I took a photo of the trunk because it was so big!

photo credit: CK Worley

George Washington believed that the curved line was nature's gift so he reshaped the walks, roads and gardens in that fashion. This was and is a working farm. Apricots peaches nectarines and cherries grow near the wall because they needed the warmth of the wall to survive the winter. The kitchen garden was big and could feed 16 to 18 people but since Washington had 600+ visitors a year he grew produce in all his gardens.


photo credit: CK Worley


photo credit: CK Worley
photo credit: CK Worley


We then traveled to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello where I found this Little-Leaf Linden. There are two of them at the front walk. It’s branches reach down into the ground and ducked in and out of the soil below. Something right out of Harry Potter. I wondered if it would pick me up and throw me into the river!

photo credit: Robert Worley
photo credit: CK Worley

Here is a White Ash (had to hug it!) and a White Pine. Very pretty.
Jefferson grew 330 vegetable varieties and 170 fruit varieties. As at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon, Monticello was and is a working farm.

Now here is something interesting. On the walk down from the Jefferson Family grave plot I spotted this. I was told it's English Ivy gone amuck. They had to cut a big piece out of it because it was killing the tree. It doesn't look like any ivy I've ever seen.

photo credit: CK Worley
photo credit: CK Worley

When we were in Williamsburg I spotted this large tree. Big enough for several people to sit under.

photo credit: CK Worley

We will defiantly have to come back in the spring when everything is in bloom.

photo credit: Robert Worley