In any other context, a living museum sounds pretty creepy. It conjures ideas of real people frozen as statues or stuffed inside wax, or perhaps caged for viewing a la Planet of the Apes. But when it’s a living plant museum, it doesn’t sound so bad; in fact, it sounds like a lot of fun.
And that’s just what the U.S. Botanic Garden is. Congress created the garden in 1820 in the National Mall, right across from the Capitol building. Now, after major renovations spanning for four years, the indoor garden features around 4,000 plants—both tropical and subtropical, usually seasonal. The U.S. Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden that’s continually operated in United States history and is maintained through the Architect of the Capitol.
Throughout the year, the U.S. Botanic Garden features all kinds of educational exhibits, special programs for adults and children, and plenty of other features to make it worthy of a visit while you’re in the capitol area. The National Garden and Bartholdi Park are also a part of the U.S. Botanic Garden, and can be found across from the complex’s conservatory. The same man who designed the Statue of Liberty, Frederic August Bartholdi, inspired the fountain in this landscaped garden. The National Garden, with its water garden, butterfly garden, roses and other beautiful displays, is definitely worth seeing as well. Most of these areas also have air conditioning, and all of the displays are climate-controlled to maintain the best possible habitat for each species.
The Conservatory is divided into several breathtaking sections. These areas are simulated in the greenhouse habitat: Hawaii, Medicinal Plants, Desert, Orchid House, Rare and Endangered Plants, Garden Primeval, Jungle, Children’s Garden, and more. Many plants in these areas were brought to the U.S. by Charles Wilkes, who went on the United States Exploring Expedition in 1838 to explore the Pacific Ocean. Also known as the “Wilkes Expedition,” its outcome included the collection of many dried plants and seeds used in the U.S. Botanic Garden today. At the time, many of the plants had never been seen by an American citizen. Today, these dried specimens make up the national Herbarium.
If nothing else, the gardens are a free activity during your trip—there is no cost to enter any of them. The Conservatory is open every day, including holidays, from ten to five, while the Parks are open as most local parks are, from dawn until dusk.
When I hear the world gladiolas, I always think of the movie Drop Dead Fred, in which the titular imaginary character’s “owner,” Elizabeth, was allergic to the pretty plants. That was totally my favorite movie for several years; I can probably quote it by heart. Anyway, I never really paid attention to the plants themselves until years later, when I realized how elegant they were—and how appropriate that it was them, and not a more childish flower, that made her sneeze, resulting in Fred bouncing all around the house.
