Gardens at Schoolhouse #18
The Gardens at historic Schoolhouse #18 in Marshall were started in 1991 by Master Gardeners to provide a colorful environment to demonstrate best gardening practices. Today, there are many themed gardens — one of the largest is the Piedmont Native Pollinator Bed showcasing a wide variety of plants. In the summer it is abuzz with insects, butterflies and hummingbirds.
The most recent addition is the Rain Garden installed in May 2019 by the Master Gardeners who received support and advice from the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District along with matching funds from the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program. This garden is designed to mitigate drainage and filter pollutants from an adjacent site.
Every season brings new visual interest to the gardens…
Starting in spring when the Shade Garden’s daffodil collection burst into bloom along with many small flowering bulbs, Virginia bluebells and hellebores. The Mixed Border then comes to life with iris, catmint and clematis and continues through the summer with an assortment of flowering perennials, shrubs and annuals. And finally, the Peony Bed, with a variety of bold colored peonies, should not be ignored.
Additional Schoolhouse #18 garden features…
The three Raised-Bed Vegetable Gardens provide a bounty of produce for a local food bank at the Grace Episcopal Church food pantry in The Plains. Adjacent, is the Herb Garden with its charming willow hoop fence surrounded by a variety of edible and ornamental herbs.
The smaller gardens have collections of hydrangeas, viburnums and native perennials. Nestled at the edge of the Shade Garden is a small pond replete with goldfish, aquatic plants and Springtime frogs. Plant labels are abundant and many of the gardens have identifying name tags adjacent to individual plants.
Educational programs…
In the late summer of 2020, a new three bin compost system was built for the gardens as part of an Eagle Scout project. The following summer, a free Little Library was added to the gardens, designed as a replica of the Schoolhouse (built in 1887) and will offer free books on gardening as well as children’s books.
Schoolhouse #18 regularly hosts a number of public events, including special education programs, such as, Saturdays in the Garden: lecture series. Additionally, there is a Plant and Seed Giveaway every fall.
Address: 7592 East Main St. Marshall, VA 20115
Parking is available at the corner of Whiting Rd and Hwy 55 or at adjacent Northern Fauquier Community Park, there is limited parking on the grounds.
Open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. The Gardens are open for public classes and tours of the gardens some Saturdays in the summer.
Collection: The one acre site contains a number of themed garden beds of perennial flowers, herbs, vegetables and shrubs to share best practices. The gardens are planted around an historic one room schoolhouse built in 1887.
History: Built in 1887, the one room schoolhouse served local white children until 1910, when it began serving local black students. It remained open until Fauquier County built consolidated schools and closed in 1964. Extension Master Gardeners began creating the gardens and partnering with other community organizations to restore the schoolhouse in 1991. The property is currently overseen by Fauquier County Parks and Recreation.
Additional Information: Master Gardeners are hard at work each Thursday morning of the growing season from 9-12 and are always willing to share their knowledge. Stop on by if you can.
More information about the history of the Gardens at #18 Schoolhouse can be found here.