This spring, River Farm's future was settled. On May 1, 2026, the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and the American Horticultural Society announced a completed permanent conservation easement on the 25-acre property at 7931 East Boulevard Drive. The easement keeps the land open to the public and bars commercial and residential development. For neighbors in Collingwood Farms, that ends a question that had been open since 2020.
The easement didn't settle who pays to keep the gardens in shape. Admission to the grounds is free outside special events, and the American Horticultural Society says it appreciates donations. Money from this fall's evening concert goes straight to "the maintenance, beautification, and preservation of River Farm." So the land is protected by law, and the flower beds are kept up by the neighbors who visit them. This fall is the first full season with that arrangement in place.
What the Easement Settled
River Farm was once part of George Washington's original Mount Vernon estate. AHS has owned it and used it as its headquarters since 1973. In fall 2020, AHS put the property up for sale. Board members, local residents, elected officials and conservation groups objected. NVCT then led a "Save River Farm" campaign with a committee of local residents. In 2021, the AHS board turned down NOVA Parks' offers to buy the property outright or to take a 51% interest.
The solution keeps ownership where it was. AHS still owns River Farm and still runs it as its headquarters. NVCT holds and monitors the easement, which has now been formally recorded. Under its terms, the property stays home to native plants and wildlife and continues to host public events, classes and garden exhibits. Supervisor Dan Storck and Sen. Scott Surovell cut the ribbon at the May 1 ceremony. According to The Zebra, Surovell was married at River Farm.
AHS President and CEO Suzanne Laporte described the outcome this way to Alexandria Living Magazine:
"River Farm has truly come full circle. We are thrilled to see this historic property permanently protected after a period of uncertainty. Over the past several years, we have seen significant improvements and successes that position River Farm for a vibrant future."
An easement controls what can happen to land. It doesn't pay anyone to mulch the perennial borders.
What Was Left to the Donation Jar
The clearest example of how upkeep gets paid for is on the calendar for Thursday, October 15. Harvest Harmonies is part of AHS's Music at the Manor series. Lynne & Mary With Friends will perform a mix of timeless classics and contemporary favorites built on vocal harmonies. The details:
- When and where: 5:30 p.m. at River Farm, 7931 East Boulevard Drive
- Cost: Free admission with a suggested donation of $20 per family. RSVP is required.
- Food: Bring your own picnic, or pre-order a picnic box from The Cut Butchery by noon on October 11
- Dogs: Leashed dogs and outside food are welcome
- Weather: If it rains, the concert moves under the tent
The Cut Butchery is just up the road at 7968 Fort Hunt Road in Hollin Hall Shopping Center. So the shop down the street supplies dinner, and the $20 per family is what AHS asks to keep the gardens looking good. The concert's thank-you list names the sponsors Roger and Mary Bowers, Frisky Hickey and The Cut Butchery. President's Council members can arrive at 4:45 p.m. for a pre-concert reception with cider sampling in the Garden Calm.
The next Music at the Manor concert isn't until February 26. That makes October 15 the last evening in the series this year.
The Hours Favor Weekday Mornings
River Farm's schedule fits someone who can get away on a Tuesday better than someone who only has Sunday. From March through November, the grounds are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The grounds are closed on Sundays. Most weekends, the only chance is a Saturday morning visit that ends at 1 p.m.
The hours change in December. From December through February, the grounds are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays go from a half day to a full day just as the gardens go dormant. AHS lists closures for 2026 federal holidays and notes that hours may change.
A few rules matter if you're coming from Collingwood Farms:
- Parking. The on-site lot is free except during special events, so check whether a concert night has its own arrangements. Parking on East Boulevard Drive isn't allowed.
- On foot. Google Maps estimates about 1.2 miles and 28 minutes on foot from Colling Ridge Court to River Farm by way of Fort Hunt Road. An alternate route of 1.4 miles runs along Collingwood Road and East Boulevard Drive. Maps flags both routes as including restricted or private roads, so check the route before you go.
- Dogs. Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds on regular days as well as at the concert.
- The Parkway this week. From Monday, October 5, through Thursday, October 8, the National Park Service is closing the southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway between Tulane Drive and Alexandria Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for roadside maintenance. Southbound traffic will detour onto Fort Hunt Road, and the northbound lanes stay open. That overlaps with River Farm's weekday morning hours, so expect more traffic on Fort Hunt Road during those four midday windows.
Where an Hour Goes on the Grounds
Many of the named spots at River Farm have their own history, which gives a short visit some depth.
Garden Calm is a shaded spot built around an Osage orange that is about 200 years old. It has a brick patio, benches, a millstone water feature, and plantings chosen for blue and white flowers. It's also where the President's Council reception takes place before the October 15 concert.
The White House Gates stood at the White House starting in 1819. They were later moved to River Farm, and AHS restored them in 2004. They're one of the few objects in the county with a documented connection to both Pennsylvania Avenue and a Fort Hunt-area garden.
The Ha-Ha Wall and the black walnut sit at the river end of the property. AHS calls the area facing the Potomac The River View, with an old black walnut standing beyond the Ha-Ha Wall.
The Children's Garden is made up of small themed areas, including a "Little House on the Prairie" garden and a bat cave. It's free during regular hours.
The Clara B. Plein Memorial Garden is the newest permanent garden we could date. It was unveiled on June 7, 2024, with native meadow, woodland, shade and edible shrub plantings. Scott Plein, the AHS board chair, inspired the garden, which is named for his grandmother. It has 2,400 plants across 30 species, 68% of them native, picked to support pollinators and wildlife. Plein also helped cut the ribbon at the May 1 easement ceremony.
AHS's current garden list also includes perennial borders and the Manor House. If you remember the 12-piece Nepenthe sculpture pop-up from last fall, it closed by October 20, 2025, and isn't on the grounds this year.
The Rest of River Farm's Season
After the concert, the calendar moves indoors. Each event below brings in more support for a property whose public status is now permanent.
- Thursday, October 15, 5:30 p.m. Harvest Harmonies concert. Free with RSVP, $20 suggested donation per family.
- Thursday, October 29, 6 to 8:30 p.m. "Composition and Decorative Arts" art class.
- Saturday, November 21, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. "Final Botanical Artwork or Journal Spread" art class.
- Thursday, December 10. The annual Holiday Open House at the Manor House. AHS says more details are coming and hasn't posted a time or price yet.
- February 26. The next Music at the Manor concert.
Each art class costs $65 for AHS members and $75 for nonmembers, and you bring your own materials.
Other events nearby on Fort Hunt Road: the 2026 Walk to Bust Cancer starts at Fort Hunt Park, 8999 Fort Hunt Road, at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 18. River Farm is closed on Sundays, so that morning goes to the park.
If the River Farm easement was one of the things that kept you rooted in the Fort Hunt area, we'd love to compare notes at the October 15 concert, picnic box and all. Have questions about what nearby land like River Farm means for the streets around Collingwood Road? The Lauren Kolazas Group is always glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
