`Meadow garden in Washington Park's Mount Vernon Garden

On the 250th birthday of America, let’s explore the meadow garden in the Mount Vernon Garden at Denver’s Washington Park.… Read More

The post Meadow garden in Washington Park’s Mount Vernon Garden appeared first on Digging.

July 04, 2026

The park in my Denver neighborhood is named in honor of George Washington (its naming in 1899 commemorated the 100th anniversary of Washington’s death), and within the park is the Mount Vernon Garden. What better day than the 250th birthday of America to share a stroll around the garden?

Under a sunset sky earlier this week, the meadow garden was abloom with purple coneflowers and other pollinator favorites.

A long view of the Mount Vernon Garden, with Grasmere Lake beyond

The garden is formally laid out in tribute to the home garden of George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon.

Meadow path to Grasmere Lake

Sweat bee on a Tennessee purple coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)

A honeybee stopped by too.

Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Red Mexican hat (Ratibida columnifera)

Sunflower

Cleome

The meadow garden alight with coneflowers, yarrow, and Mexican hat

Tall trees on the perimeter of the park make a green backdrop to the sunny meadow garden.

Sea lavender (Limonium latifolium)

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

Showy fleabane (Erigeron speciosus)

Yellow coneflowers and spiderwort that’s closed up for the night

Mexican hat and yarrow

Mexican hat and goldenrod

Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris)

Nicotiana and ephedra

The garden contends with the pesky Japanese beetle, but I only noticed them noshing on a tatty hollyhock.

Rabbits are everywhere in Wash Park too. Cute little guys though.

Paddleboats on Smith Lake under a twilight sky

Last cruise of the evening

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