The Oak Spring garden connects to formal glasshouse by way of a white gravel path lined with pleached Mary Potter crabapple trees, whose interlacing branches shade the walkway with seasonal annuals. Image by Roger Foley.

In Oak Spring's gardens, dwarf fruit trees mix with herbs, vegetables, and some of Bunny's personal favorites such as forget-me-nots, poppies, sunflowers and purple coneflowers. 

Lining the storage cabinets of the Oak Spring greenhouse is a charming trompe l'oeil mural by the famous French artist, Fernand Renard. Amid the landscaping tools and watering cans, Renard has included careful replications of Bunny's signature personal items, including her gardening hat, coat and letters. 

The Honey House is full of charming vignettes, including dried herbs, gardening tools, and a sculpted stone bird bath by William Edmondson for visitors to enjoy and learn about.

The Mellons employed many skilled craftspeople who created items that can still be found throughout the garden. From lead pots to watering cans and even the metal frame for the Mary Potter crabapple arbor, these items lend the garden an added sense of charm and history.

"This garden is made of love. And details." - Bunny Mellon, Vanity Fair, 2010

"Flowers are the paintbox of garden design, and they can create a sense of peace and simplicity." - Bunny Mellon, An Oak Spring Flora, 1997

"Their presence inspires our tired spirits with their fragile being, and allows our minds to go beyond its earthly limits." - Bunny Mellon, remarking on flowers in An Oak Spring Flora, 1997. Photo by Roger Foley.

The sweet scents and bright colors of Oak Spring's flowers attract countless butterflies to our grounds, including this monarch. 

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation actively maintains the Oak Spring garden in the spirit of Bunny Mellon while embracing forward-thinking principles of sustainability, as she wished for her property.