Planting Begun Behind Sayre House
Destruction behind Sayre House as a result of the July 2023 storm has been cleared with the help of local tree companies such as Evergro. Approximately 20 trees were planted, including white oaks, Southern magnolias, Pecans, Yellowwood, Dogwood, Sassafras, and Persimmon. The variety of species should help them thrive, with no one type dominating or subject to wholesale decline. Several Viburnums were added to help create an understory, and will give lovely spring blooms along with the dogwood.
Take a Video Tour of the Bishop's Garden
All Hallows Guild created a virtual tour to allow access to the Bishop's Garden for those who are unable to visit in-person or those who wish to learn more about the history and design of the most cultivated area of the Cathedral Grounds. The tour begins at the limestone arch on South Road and visits fourteen areas of the historic Bishop's Garden.
Oak Grove Outside Cathedral Apse
On the east end of the Cathedral, outside the Apse (the semicircular recess behind the altar), 11 new white oaks of three different cultivars have been planted. The varieties are Quercus lyrate, Quercus shumardii, and Quercus Michauxii. This is stage one of a redesign of the whole area, incorporating seating areas with tables and chairs. Our thought is to place some stone paved bases for the tables using designated paths and shrubs to define the areas; until now, people wishing to sit would walk through the beds and trample flowers and other plantings. We hope to create an inviting space where nature and humans can coexist harmoniously.
Let's Talk Gardens with our Director of Horticulture
Cathedral Director of Horticulture, Sandra Flowers, presented a webinar as a part of the Smithsonian's "Let's Talk Gardens" series. Her talk, titled "Washington National Cathedral Gardens: Divine Inspiration & Earthly Challenges", focused on the development of the Cathedral Close and the on-going care of these beloved gardens.
Preserving the Bishop's Garden's Norman Court
Time and atmospheric exposure have taken their toll on the Bishop's Garden's 12th-century Norman Court. All Hallows Guild engaged McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory to perform conservation treatment and cleaning of the Norman Court. The work was completed in November 2022, and is the second phase of our on-going stonework restoration in the Garden.
