Loudoun County Master Gardeners

The Demonstration Garden was first developed by the Master Gardener class of 1992. Their goal was to create a practical organic garden for growing vegetables and fruit where the public could visit and learn about chemical-free gardening. The garden has grown considerably since then in size and scope. Included among the many areas of this approximately 1/3 acre garden are raised beds and small space vegetable areas, a Heritage garden highlighting some plants from Virginia’s past, a Children’s garden featuring child-friendly plants and activities, a Shade garden created under beautiful pine trees, a newly fashioned “Wedding Garden” perfect for special pictures, a Butterfly garden and a fruit tree area. The Master Gardener Demonstration Garden Team Leaders and Volunteers were honored by the Town of Leesburg in June 2007 with the John W. Tolbert Award for work benefiting the Town’s environment through their example that a wholly organic garden is feasible and doable. All produce grown is donated to Interfaith Relief Food Pantry.

Click here for a two-sided flyer containing a color map and self-guided walking tour through our garden: Self-guided walking tour

2013 Demo Garden Goals/Priorities:

Plant veggies most commonly grown in our area and desirable to Interfaith clients

Share gardening skills with trainees

Maintain/manage existing garden areas

Cultivate enough compost to cover Demo Garden needs

FOR THE PUBLIC:
Saturdays in the Garden, May 4, June 1 and July 20. From 10AM to Noon. Lecture series AND Master Gardeners on hand to answer any of your questions on vegetables, ornamentals and more. Click here for more info and to print flyer: Saturdays in the Garden
Spring Farm Tour, May 18/19. Master Gardeners on hand to answer any of questions.
July 4th - Garden Open! Master Gardeners on hand to lead tours and answer any of questions.
Fall Color Tour, October 19/20. Master Gardeners on hand to answer any of questions.

Location and Hours

The Demonstration Garden is located on Ida Lee Park Drive, Leesburg. Follow the signs to the Demonstration Garden (across from pool). Park in front of the community plots and walk past those plots to the Demonstration Garden. See map. The Garden is never closed, feel free to visit anytime. However if you come on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, 9-12, from Mid-March to Mid-October, Master Gardeners will be there to answer your questions.

Look for the Public Opening of the Demonstration Garden each year to correspond with the Loudoun County Spring Farm Tour in May. Master Gardeners invite the public to come out and take a self-guided tour of the garden. Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions concerning plants and techniques used in the garden and activities for the children will also be featured during these two days.

We are open to give tours of our Demo Garden if you have a group wanting a Master Gardener to lead you through the grounds. We will spend an hour walking your group through our vegetable area, the ornamental gardens and the composting area while explaining what we are demonstrating and why as well as identifying plants and answering questions. We are open to giving tours for groups of any age, however, if you have a large school group of younger children, we ask that you have adults to help chaperone. Also know, the Demo Garden is open to the public when Ida Lee park is open so you are also free to walk the grounds any time you are there and enjoy a self-guided walking tour using our flyers posted in the mailboxes at either end of the garden. We are physically in the garden Tuesdays/Thursdays (weather permitting) from 9 to noon so if that time works for your group, it works for us as well! To request a Demo Garden tour, please send an email to DGtour@loudouncountymastergardeners.org with the following information: Contact name, Phone number, Date & Time requesting tour, Age Range of participants, Total Number in Group and we will return your email with our availability.

Other fun things to read and watch:

Visit our history scrapbook for pictures on the garden's beginning and expansion
Read all about our Garden expansion and history from 1992 to 2010
See our Lessons Learned each year from 2007 to 2010 seasons of gardening out at Ida Lee .
Enjoy a virtual tour video (Hint: After linking to video, select 'watch in high quality')
Watch our classically narrated video and views of each garden with the Classic Video (click on "watch in high quality" once directed)
Visit gardens we once maintained in the Demo Garden Scrapbook
We celebrated our first Demonstration Garden Homecoming Tea Party on October 2nd, 2008. Master Gardeners who dug the first bit of ground in 1992 attended along with many of their Green Team Leader successors and MG volunteers that have made the garden into what it is today. Loudoun County Interfaith Relief delegates were in attendance as well. Enjoy the Homecoming Scrapbook.

Find us on Facebook: Master Gardeners of Loudoun County, Virginia