US National Arboretum, Washington DC

With uniquely beautiful gardens, and 446 acres of land to traverse, the US National Arboretum is a local gem. You should start at the information center where you can pick up a map of the gardens and several smaller maps about the different collections. Once you exit the back of the building, they have coy fish ponds and a large patio area with a few tables and shaded areas to eat and relax. When you are ready to start touring the gardens, they offer the following collections:

Asian, Azalea, Dogwood, Fern Valley, Friendship Garden, Gotelli Conifer, Grove of State Trees, Holly and Magnolia, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, National Boxwood, National Capital Columns, National Herb Garden, Perennial, and Washington Youth Garden.

During our time at the Arboretum, we saw many of these collections, but the highlights for us were the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the National Capital Columns, and the National Herb Garden. We didn’t know about the Grove of State trees (which would have also been cool to see), but with so much to see, that will certainly be in our plans for the next time we come.

The main attraction for us was the Bonsai & Menjing Museum. Growing up, the only knowledge that I had of Bonsai trees was from the Karate Kid J. However, seeing them in person was a phenomenal experience as I learned just how old some of these trees were (oldest in the world is over 1000 years old), and how much of an art form it is to mold the tree shapes and to maintain them. The gardens are  tidy, and the atmosphere was peaceful and Zen-like. The largest part of this collection was a gift from Japan to commemorate the US Bicentennial.

Once we finished the Bonsai exhibit, we moved on to the National Capital Columns. Originally built in 1828, these columns were designed for, and used at the Capital building. Due to the dome of the capital being bigger than originally planned, the building was awkward, and eventually in the 1980’s they decided to move these beautiful columns to the Arboretum, and put in different supports in the Capital. Seeing them up close was truly amazing and makes for a great photo op! However, during our time there, the water that reflects the columns was drained (until Spring of 2019) for repairs.

 

Lastly, we ended in the Herb Garden. The aroma was wonderful, and we enjoyed sitting around a small fountain, watching a frog lounge in the water. The trellises were gorgeous, providing shade and beauty, and there were beautiful fruit trees interwoven amongst the different herbs.

Website: https://www.usna.usda.gov/

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