Diggin' In: Landscaping at Mount Vernon

Photo by HANDOUT

The Upper Garden at George Washington's historic home of Mount Vernon is shown in full bloom. (Mount Vernon/Newport News Daily Press/MCT)

Photo by HANDOUT

Mount Vernon's gardeners used this heavy stone roller to firm and flatten the soil of the bowling green, making the grass easier to cut. They also rolled the gravel in the serpentine paths, crushing and killing any weeds that might have popped up and maintaining a uniform surface. (Mount Vernon/Newport News Daily Press/MCT)

Photo by HANDOUT

The lower garden at George Washington's historic home of Mount Vernon provided produce that was frequently used to feed the Washington household. (Mount Vernon/Newport News Daily Press/MCT)

Photo by HANDOUT

George Washington drew up these notes and plans for a Ha-Ha Wall at his Mount Vernon estate in 1798. (Mount Vernon/Newport News Daily Press/MCT)

As a young surveyor and before serving as our country's first president, George Washington developed the ability to measure up a landscape and to take advantage of its natural features. He also had an eye for spatial awareness, and learned by observation, by reading, and by the study of new styles of landscape design.

Later, he put those skills to use creating a landscape plant for his now-historic home, Mount Vernon in Fairfax, Va., along the banks of the Potomac River, according to Mount Vernon curators.

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Diggin' In: Landscaping at Mount Vernon