ven though spring is on the horizon some residents have begun to fret over whether they will be able to purchase the coveted Sexton Christmas trees this year now that Daleview Nursery and the Maison et Jardin garden center are relocating. Not only will they be available, the owners of Maison et Jardin are creating something special at their new location in the Great Falls Center.
Maison et Jardin, which has operated near the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive for years, is re-inventing itself as a posh garden design center that is able to better serve the landscaping and design needs of the community. They expect to be open in the next few weeks but already have people stopping by the new location hoping to use their services.
Owner Betsy Owen said they are “looking to become a high-end resource for the community for their outside entertaining needs.” The new Maison et Jardin includes a wide array of exterior design services which includes everything from pots and water features to outdoor furniture.
“There will be some familiar things but we’ve expanded it to include a complete garden design center,” said Owen.
“We will not be opening as a nursery. There will be some flowers but it’s not going to be a nursery,” said Owen. Daleview Nursery, also owned by Owen, will be relocated to Sterling.
The old location could continue as a nursery since it is zoned as residential with a grandfathered use as a nursery but its ultimate function has not been determined yet. Owen has no say in what happens to the land and is not affiliated with the owners.
Maison et Jardin decided to move because of strict county zoning regulations that would have prevented them from evolving into the design center Owen imagined.
Construction at Maison et Jardin has generated much interest because of the stylistic representations of landscaping options that are becoming visible from the street. “Maybe it’s spring fever and I just want to sit outside in the garden but I saw [the new store] and just wanted to go in. I’ll wait though. The sign on the door shows what we ware going to have here. It looks like I’ll be here a lot when they do open,” said Great Falls resident Sandra Hays.
Maison et Jardin will offer landscape design referrals for options such as fencing and gates. Owen explains, “we’re not running a landscaping company from there but we will have examples and be able to offer people a referral.”
Maison et Jardin’s Mia Karam said that, “People around here aren’t do-it-yourselfers any more, so we’ve evolved into this.” Karam says that the new location will also be more user friendly. “Ladies won’t have to trek through the mud getting their shoes muddy here.”
The Great Falls Center location also affords ample parking for Maison et Jardin. Owen said that come Christmas time, they have worked out an arrangement with the managers of the center to allow for more parking and space for the trees.
While the examples of landscaping exteriors are visible in the corner of the Great Falls Center, the inside of the store is being designed to reflect the elegant vision Owen has for the new location.
Partitioned spaces allow the myriad styles of garden design to be represented side by side. Garden accessories, antiques and furniture will be located inside the colorful shop while the fencing and woodworking options will remain outside.
Petal Works, the florist that had operated inside Maison et Jardin at the old location, has already re-located to another storefront in Great Falls at the corner of Walker Rd. and Colvin Mill Rd.