Native American Circle Gardens

Photos

Indian Circle Garden

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"Indian Circle Garden" Potomac Overlook Park

On a quiet morning, I walked along the farm road to a special place surrounded by woodlands and nature trails near the Potomac River where Donaldson Run and Marcy Creek make their contribution to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Like many ancient places, generations of people have settled here, depositing layers of history, one atop the other.

Archeologists claim the Native Americans were here 500 BC and stayed until Europeans drove them out. Eventually, George Mason assumed control of this place as part of his 20,000 acres. George Mason IV lost control of the property to bankers and eventually it was bought by the Donaldson’s. Then, the Donaldson’s were generous and made part of the property available as parkland and one Mary White was permitted to live in a house in the woods.

The White House burned in the 1940’s and archeologists visited the location, discovering in the ruins the remnants of ancient Native Americans.

Down the path from what would have been Mary White’s front yard is the Native American Circle garden, recreated so that we can all experience what it once was.

We can learn much from Native Americans about how to live in a manner respectful to nature and the environment. As I researched the subject, not surprising, there are a number of Native American gardens throughout the USA. They all have some common features, though Native Americans adapted to their changing environments.

I also discovered that other cultures, including Stonehenge and India celebrated using the circle as a means of interpreting the environment and relating it to essential things such as gardening.

Here at Potomac Overlook Park, we have a natural garden, and the Indian Circle Garden aka Native American.

Good references:

http://www.uwlax.edu/mvac/research/IntroGarden.htm

http://www.kidsgardening.com/growingideas/projects/march02/mar02-pg1.htm

http://www.enotalone.com/article/5126.html

http://kanada.com/Vacations/Ontario-Canada/WildernessIsland/Wellness.html

All of the Native American pictures here are from the http://www.uwlax.edu/mvac/research/IntroGarden.htm reference.

Virginians aka Americans drove away all of the Native Americans. Wayne Newton is a celebrity Native American from a Virginia tribe who is fighting for Native American rights here.