Address
1806 King Street
Hours of Operation
Sunrise to Sunset
Sunrise to Sunset
Location Features
Park Details
King Street Gardens Park, designed by visual artists Buster Simpson and Laura Sindell, architect Mark Spitzer, and landscape architect Becca Hanson, turn the well-traveled intersection of King Street and Diagonal Road into an oasis of greenery. The design for the park was developed through a nationwide design competition in 1991.
It embodies the history of Alexandria through representations and reference, offering a place of relaxation and sanctuary in a busy urban environment. By virtue of its location, it is a significant portal into downtown—not only from other areas of the city, but from the region though the nearby mass transit hub.
Distinctive Garden Features
King Street Gardens Park is more than just a green space—it’s a living tribute to Alexandria’s natural and cultural history.
The park’s three distinctive garden features (the Sunken Garden, the Topiary, and the Hanging Garden) each highlight a different element of the city’s past, from its early marshlands to Victorian-era social spaces.
Together, they create a visually striking and meaningful landscape that invites exploration, reflection, and community gatherings.
Learn more about each of these garden features below.
The Hanging Garden
At the park’s eastern edge, the Hanging Garden invites visitors to relax beneath a vine-draped trellis inspired by Victorian pleasure gardens. The structure also offers shade and seating for gatherings.
Wysteria weaves up the columns and through a rectangular grid that mimics the city street grid of Alexandria, shifting from a traditional grid to a diagonal layout due to Hooff’s Run.
The Topiary
Rising 35 feet above the park’s center, the Topiary is a sculptural green focal point designed to represent several icons: a ship’s prow and George Washington’s tricorn hat.
Covered with a vibrant tapestry of vines, it changes throughout the seasons and serves as both a vertical anchor and an elegant backdrop for events. The Topiary stands as a symbol of Alexandria’s evolution, rooted in history yet always growing.
The Sunken Garden
Located at the west end of the park, the Sunken Garden symbolizes Hooff’s Run, a stream that once flowed freely through the area. In the early days of Alexandria, this marshy terrain prevented westward travel along King Street.
Today, the garden echoes that history with native wetland plants like cattails and irises, offering a serene, rain garden-like setting that filters stormwater and evokes the site's natural past. It’s a subtle but powerful nod to the landscape that once shaped the city's growth.
