Moon gate installed at Green Spring Gardens

The new moon gate at Green Spring Gardens will make a lovely backdrop for a wedding or photo session.

The stone structure was completed in August. The rest of the project – including a permanent path, an Asian-inspired garden, a bench, and plaques – is under development.

There will be an official unveiling once the site is completed.

The Park Authority came up with the idea for a moon gate in 2020 to commemorate Green Spring’s 50th anniversary. The Fairfax County Park Foundation then began soliciting donations for the project, although the pandemic caused some delays.

Arlene Evans and her husband Barry Dewberry contributed $500,000. “Thanks to their largess, it’s much more than initially envisioned,” says Bobbi Longworth, executive director of the Park Foundation.

The cost is so high because the structure needed to be secured underground and utilities needed to be removed, Longworth says. “Safety is a huge priority with the Park Authority. It needs to be sound; it needs to be stable.”  

“Moon gates originated in ancient Asian gardens,” the Park Foundation states. “Guests who passed through them were symbolically granted an auspicious welcome and good fortune.”

Moon gates in gardens provide a window to frame a view or to create a passageway from one space to another. The moon gate at Green Spring Gardens is sited so the Historic House can be seen through it.

A plaque will list the names of donors who contributed $5,000 or more. Any leftover funds will go to Green Spring Gardens.

A bench on the site will honor Susan Ackroyd, a retired Parklawn Elementary School principal who enjoyed visiting the park. The bench was sponsored by her friend Victor Schwartz.