Garden Etiquette
Bikes scooters, skates, skateboards, outdoor toys, or balls are not permitted inside the fenced Garden property. Fishing, swimming, or disturbance of garden beds is not permitted at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Please do not disturb or feed the wildlife found throughout the Gardens.
Pets are not permitted within the fenced portion of the Garden. Dogs are welcome on the Perimeter trail that can be found outside of the Garden’s fence (marker number 15 on the map below).
Outside food or drink is not permitted within the gated Garden grounds.
Meadowlark’s picnic area is located outside of the fenced Garden property adjacent to the Lilac Pavilion. The picnic area is available on a first come first served basis, where group gatherings of more than 10 people are not permitted. Open flames, grills, or pop-up tents are not permitted on Garden property. Gatherings of more than 10 people must make a pre-arranged reservation with the Atrium for one of the available rental spaces. Please contact the Atrium at 703-255-3631 or email the atrium@nvrpa.org for all rental inquiries.
Visitor Center
All guests must enter and exit the Gardens through the Visitor Center where the gift shop and primary restrooms are located. The gift shop features local artisan goods, surplus plants from the garden, and much more! Additional restrooms are located next to the log cabin near marker number 25. Two wheelchairs are available for Garden guests to use for free on a first come, first served basis.
The Visitor Center no longer has paper maps available onsite. Please download the map below prior to your visit or scan our convenient QR code of the Garden map upon your arrival. Our digital map depicts paved walking trails marked by solid black lines while mulched trails are dotted lines. There are 3.5 miles of paved walking trails and 1.25 miles of mulched trails. An ADA accessible trail is designated on the map with a thick white line leading from the Visitor Center to the Lake Caroline Gazebo.
Horticulture Team
Our expert Horticulturists have a keen eye for what should be done seasonally from pruning, planting, to seeding, they work throughout the Gardens to keep them beautiful. Horticulturists offer workshops and talks throughout the year. Please check the Events tab located at the top of the page for all upcoming events.
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens uses an integrated approach to deal with pests of all sorts; relying heavily on manual weeding and wiping away insects. We focus on cultural controls such as making sure the right plant is in the right place and when we must spray, we save it as a last resort.
We are working towards labeling all our plant collections at the Gardens. Since our collections are constantly changing with additions, divisions, and subtractions, plant labeling is always a work in progress. For assistance identifying a plant, take several pictures and email them and your inquiry to horticulture@nvrpa.org . What’s in bloom changes frequently throughout the seasons. Check our Facebook and Instagram for more information or ask the Front Desk staff upon your arrival.
The Volgenau Conservatory holds our Mediterranean collection and will be open for limited educational opportunities. In the wintertime, tropical plants not housed in the Volgenau Conservatory are dug up and overwintered in our greenhouse facilities.