The Olde Forge-Surrey Square Native Species Garden is located on Twinbrook Road, approximately opposite the entrance to the Cinderella Park (opposite 4603 Twinbrook). The garden was created in 2023 with the help of neighborhood volunteers and a local girl scout troop. The garden serves as a place for native plant species to flourish and provides a source of natural beauty for the community. The photo shows the garden in June, 2026, before most plants have begun to flower.
Gary and Mimi Krauss, our civic association parks liaisons, guide the volunteer effort and coordinate with Fairfax County. Neighbors contribute and care for the plants. This website contains a directory to the plants in our garden. Please contact us with questions or suggestions!
- Click here to see the plants!
Use garden clippers to cut the ivy leaves off; if cutting off of a tree then cut a ring around the infested tree.- Pull out ivy from the roots.
- If cutting off of a tree pull out all the ivy roots surrounding the tree.
- Do not pull ivy off of the tree bark because it will harm the tree.
Plant native ground cover instead! Examples include:
- Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera, fast spreading cover)
- Green-and-gold (chrysogonum virginianum, yellow flowers)
- Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia, quickly spreading with white flowers)
- Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, vine that will grow up trees without harming them)
- Native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens, provides habitat for pollinators
You can protect native species easily by planting only native flowers, shrubs, and trees to create a sustainable environment in your own home.
- Additionally, you can remove invasive species that crop up and reduce pesticide use.
- To promote and protect native tree species make sure to remove invasive vines that will smother trees, avoid over mulching (greater than a 3 inch layer) which causes the bark to rot, and plant groundcover instead of grass beside the base of trees.
Even small changes, like planting a few native plants, can help restore and protect local ecosystems!