The George Harding Memorial Azalea Garden was dedicated in May of 1994 to honor one of the Azalea Society's founders. George Harding was a foremost azalea expert. More importantly, he was an outstanding person and plantsman, admired and respected by all who came to know him. He began propagating azaleas in 1924 and started a nursery in 1929. He retired as Chief, Horticulture & Maintenance of the National Capitol Parks Service in 1959, and continued to run his nursery in Germantown, Maryland until he died in 1990.

The purpose of the Harding Garden is to further his goals--and those of the Azalea Society--to bring the beauty, variety, and versatility of azaleas to the attention of more gardeners and plant enthusiasts. It is in a prime location on the grounds of River Farm, the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. Located on the Potomac River midway between Alexandria, Virginia and historic Mount Vernon, River Farm was once owned by President George Washington. It is now open to the public, without charge, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

The Harding Garden was made possible by generous donations of time, effort, plants and money by many members and friends of the Azalea Society, and the continuing support of the American Horticultural Society (click #5 on the map).

The Harding Garden consists of twelve beds, containing almost 700 azaleas and over 400 different cultivated varieties (cultivars), as a representative sample of the many thousands of azalea varieties that are available. Many of the azaleas are arranged in the beds by blossom color, rather than bloom time or hybrid group. Within a bed, plants increase in height toward the center. Ornamental trees and many ferns, bulbs, wildflowers and groundcovers are included in the garden as companion plants for the azaleas.

In some cases, several plants of the same cultivar have been planted for a mass effect. Elsewhere, to allow the more subtle differences in bloom time, type, shape, size or plant habit to be examined, similar cultivars have been grouped together.

The azaleas have been planted with enough space to walk between them. Yes, you are quite welcome to step off the paths--just be careful of the companion plants that may be there. Get as close as you wish to a particular plant to examine the blooms and leaves and for some, to smell the fragrance.

Each azalea is labeled with the plant name and garden number. While most azaleas in the garden are available from local growers and nurseries, a few are not readily available. An alternative is to purchase unusual varieties through plant sales: annual plant sales are sponsored in the spring by the Brookside Gardens Chapter of the Azalea Society, the National Arboretum, and the American Horticultural Society.

The Harding Garden is an official display garden of the Azalea Society of America. Its future depends upon the continued interest of the members, as we have the responsibility for its ongoing maintenance. Volunteers and plant donors are always welcomed to help in keeping the garden mulched and weeded, and the plants pruned, labeled and replaced as needed. To help with plants or labor (Wednesday mornings, from spring through fall), please contact Milt Lerner.