A section of the new garden.
The American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) River Farm in Alexandria, VA, has a new garden for the public to enjoy. The Clara B. Plein Memorial Garden showcases about 2,400 plants native to the region representing 30 species. Scott Plein, chairman of the AHS board, spearheaded the effort to create this garden in honor of his grandmother Clara.
“My first memories of being in the garden were at my grandparents’ home in DC,” said Scott. “As a kid, I would spend summers there and sit with my grandmother in the backyard. I would tell her what I wanted to do with the landscape. She caught on that I had a great interest in her garden and in the landscape. The first lawn I cut was her lawn with a reel mower, which I still have. In the mid-1970s, she encouraged her friends to use my lawn mowing service. She bought my first new lawnmower. She was always there for me and supported me in my landscape business.”
Part of the new garden with the historic River Farm house (AHS headquarters) in the background.
Scott’s mowing business grew into KT Enterprises, Inc., a landscape development firm. In addition, Scott is principal of Equinox Investments, LLC, a real estate investment, development, and management firm. As a Virginia native, he has been an AHS member for many years, but was just recently introduced to River Farm when the danger of losing the historic home and property became real in 2020 (situated on the Potomac River, River Farm is north of Mt. Vernon and was part of George Washington’s original tract of land). Scott was invited to be on the AHS board in 2021 and became chairman in 2022.
“I am very interested in the role horticulture plays in all of our lives which is why I am dedicated to helping AHS move forward,” explained Scott. “I also am an environment guy from the standpoint of seeing the need for balance between natural habitat and human habitat.”
As he got to know the historic property, he was inspired to create the Memorial Garden using native plants to attract and support pollinators. Another board member reached out to landscape architect Joan Honeyman of DC-based Jordan Honeyman Landscape Architecture, LLC, to see if she would be interested in designing the garden. Joan and Scott collaborated to create a design that incorporated the existing trees and as many Northern Virginia native plants as possible. Nothing of significance was on that particular tract of the property except the trees so the spaces between the trees were blank canvases.
“We made a concerted effort to design around the trees and not disturb the tree roots,” said Joan. “The area is segmented into a series of rooms that were based on the spaces left by the existing trees. We used predominantly Northern Virginia native plants and some native cultivars. We wanted to create a native plant habitat that attracted pollinators and that also had educational opportunities for visitors. We created mulched pathways for visitors to be able to see the plants and pollinators up close. We also plan to have signage, birdhouses, and places for visitors to sit.”
Another section of the new garden.
Because the soil and sun exposure varied, the actual plants varied but Joan purposely kept it simple. “The palette is limited. We did not want to have too many different varieties because it would have been harder to maintain but also it could have been deceiving to visitors who may think they can grow all of these plants. We used reliable native plants planted in great masses. Planting in mass makes it easier for pollinators to find and access the plants.”
What evolved were thematic pocket gardens: a woodland deciduous azalea and viburnum area; a transition or woods’ edge area; a meadow; shrubs and small trees that produce edible fruit; and a shade garden. “Something is blooming or has visual interest in each season,” explained Joan. “We also used basic design principles such as repetition so you may see the same plant to draw your eye along the edge of the garden and into the interior. Visitors may be inspired to try the same design principles and plants in their garden.” A list of the plants is on the AHS website.
In order to make Scott’s vision a reality, 15 local nurseries and landscape companies collaborated, donating plants, supplies, and labor. “We asked these companies if they could donate any of the plants on Joan’s list and they all donated something,” said Scott. The garden was planted in the fall of 2023; currently Ruppert Landscaping maintains the site. “Ruppert staff were great to work with,” said Joan. “Scott had the vision, and I was honored that he asked me to realize the memorial garden for him.”
On June 7, 2024, AHS held a private dedication ceremony. Scott gave a short speech and cut the ribbon while everyone toasted with the bubbly. Staff from the collaborating nurseries and landscape firms attended, as well as donors, dignitaries, River Farm friends, AHS board members and staff. It was a lovely summer evening, and I am sure Clara would have been proud to have been honored by a native plant garden on the Potomac River.
From left to right: Matt Zuccari (Ruppert), Sophia Ciallela (Ruppert), Cole Stoy (Ruppert), Scott Plein (White House Farm Foundation and American Horticultural Society), Joan Honeyman (Jordan Honeyman Landscape Architecture), Kris Alvarez (KT Enterprises), Matt Teese (South Riding Nurseries), and Matt Deivert (South Riding Nurseries)
All photos courtesy of the American Horticultural Society.
