
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 13, 1990                   TAG: 9005130303
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: F-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA                                LENGTH: Short

MOUNT VERNON ADDS GARDEN TOUR

For the first time, Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate, is offering tours of the gardens and grounds as well as the mansion. The 40-minute garden and landscape walking tour is available four times daily through Labor Day at no extra cost.

The tour gives an overview of George Washington's innovative landscape design, showing how he combined gardens, groves, vistas and paths.

The upper garden was designed for pleasure and features ornamental plants; the lower garden produced fruits, vegetables and herbs.

More than a dozen trees planted by Washington are still living. Seeds and plants from the gardens, including boxwood shrubs grown from cuttings of the original hedges, are sold in the museum shop.

Admission to Mount Vernon (703-780-2000) is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 6 to 11.

Mount Vernon (703-780-2000) is at the southern end of the George Washington Parkway, 8 miles south of Alexandria and 16 miles from Washington. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October.

by CNB