New Memorial Garden to Honor George Mason

WASHINGTON – A new memorial garden, nearing completion on the National Mall near the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., will honor Virginia patriot George Mason.

Designed by Alexandria, Va.-based landscape architect Rhodeside & Harwell, the memorial will be among the last to be sited on the National Mall grounds and the first in the Tidal Basin area dedicated to an individual who did not serve as president.

The George Mason national memorial will feature a bronze sculpture of Mason designed and created by sculptor Wendy Ross. Rhodeside & Harwell's memorial setting is reflective of Mason's love of gardens and recalls the site's own history as a formal garden. Ross' design of Mason will depict him at rest, seated on a curved stone bench gazing toward the Jefferson Memorial with a book in hand, several other books on one side, and a walking stick and tri-corner hat on the other.

A simple trellis will frame the sculpture, which will also be flanked by stone walls carved with the patriot's words, which served as inspiration for the federal Bill of Rights. The memorial will lie within a circular garden, just beyond a large fountain.

The author is Managing Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at nwisniewski@lawnandlandscape.com.