The Winkler Botanical Preserve - NOVA Parks newest park

 

This article appeared in the Virginia Sportsman in 2016. I’m posting it now in celebration of the Preserve becoming a public park. Congratulations to NOVA Parks and the Winkler Foundation for achieving this notable collaboration for public access and enrichment. The gift of the Preserve to NOVA Parks included a substantial endowment demonstrating remarkable generosity on the part of the Foundation. NOVA Parks is already offering outdoor education programs and planning summer camps. Please note the herbaceous vegetation has changed somewhat in the past several years due to increased deer activity.

 

Virginias Truly Secret Garden: The Winkler Botanical Preserve

The city of Alexandria has a finite amount of land, there’s only so much open space. City parks often follow winding stream valleys, wetlands and occasionally the forested hilltop or adjoining slope. Many parks have a specific recreation function, while others feature winding trails and bike paths. Yet one of the largest tracts of natural forest in the city is entirely in private hands. This is the Winkler Botanical Preserve. In development for three decades the Preserve has become a remarkable open space on the western margin of the city. Essentially a stream valley hemmed in by office buildings and residential development it’s a green treasure of native forest in an extensive but discreet naturalized landscape setting.

It started as a favored picnic location for Mark Winkler and his family as he bought and developed large tracts of western Alexandria in the post war years. Ultimately the family would decide to conserve the area and establish a managing philanthropic foundation. Catherine Winkler Herman, noted Patron of the arts, education, science and conservation would steward the Preserves unique mission until her death in 2007. While regional development moved forward at breakneck speed, the foundation had the insight to conserve and dramatically improve the woodlands that would become the Preserve. In between 1985 and 1995 enormous investments in time and effort produced some of Virginia’s finest naturalized rock gardens and native plant horticulture. At the same time much of the existing forest was carefully studied and documented. It's a nationally unique project but remains very much a private endeavor. While a private property, the Preserve is open to the public routinely.

The original forest is unique and surprisingly diverse. White oaks, red oaks and chestnut oaks are dominant on the higher hills. Lower, wetter soils support beech, black gum, tulip poplar, witch hazel and stately sycamores along the main stream course. Many members of the Heath family are present. High bush blueberry, huckleberry, deerberry, dangleberry and staggerbush are all found on specific soil types. Mountain laurel is found in many locations creating a sensational show in late spring when its pleated white flowers bloom. Perhaps the native wild flowers are most unique on the site. Several stands of pink lady's slippers are located in the forest. These exquisite orchids sport their large trademark pink "slipper" shaped flowers. While fairly common in Virginia, these notable plants have never been successfully propagated. They are ecologically sensitive and should never be disturbed. Wild blue phlox, golden ragwort, bluebells, green and gold and Cardinal flower blanket some areas. Today the Preserve represents existing flora and intensive introduction of regional native species. The spring bloom is a notable show of supremely aesthetic, yet ecologically focused gardening.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Preserve is the subtle rock garden landscaping. While the underlying geology is a fascinating mix of gravel filled soils associated with the ancestral Potomac River course, there are no natural rock outcrops on the property. But the casual visitor is entirely fooled by the detailed naturalized rock work in the Preserve. Seams of boulders run along hillsides and expand into near cliff faces. Other areas embrace and stabilize stream sides as if deposited by glaciers a million years ago. But no glaciers reached Virginia during the last ice age. All this work was created by Gary Hopper, a Virginia based stone mason of near mythic reputation.  Every single manmade feature was planted with native species. Much of this initial work was coordinated by Horticulturist, Steve Hootman, now the longtime Director of the Rhododendron Species Foundation and one of the world’s most prolific plant explorers in temperate Asia. I also spent two years at the Preserve in the late eighties before joining Bishop Museum in Honolulu. With development all around, the Preserve is really an island of mature forest in an urban sea. When viewed on Google Earth it’s like a remarkable green pillow of mature tree canopies popping forth from the built environment.

The early nineties saw the installation of two lakes and the development of Catherine Lodge. The lodge entrance incorporates large logs and a deep porch, creating one of Northern Virginia’s most unique buildings. There’s no other structure in Alexandria like it. Staff, administrative offices and some exhibits are housed in the lodge. Directly across the lake a large water fall splashes down an intricately built cliff face. You can stand in front of the lodge and swear you’re in the Shenandoah’s or Adirondacks, yet you’re a few miles south of the Pentagon. A large portion of the Preserve was at risk from a Highway expansion a few years ago, but local opposition prevailed and the project was dropped.

Over the years the Preserve has evolved not only into a beautiful woodland garden but a very active environmental education center. Thoughtful children’s programs are led by staff members to many areas of the property. Public schools visit regularly. Towering trees and interpretive spaces make the site a superb outdoor classroom for all ages. We tend to think of these resources almost exclusively as public facilities. But thanks to the foresight of the Preserve’s founders, Alexandria is home to a truly unique naturalized woodland garden that conserves forty-four pristine acres and offers year around environmental education programs. It’s an extraordinary gift to the community and stands as an example of thoughtful urban development resulting in conservation of open space for the public good by a private entity.