WASHINGTON GARDENER
Eco-Staycation! Touring Our Local Public Gardens
BY KATHY JENTZ The best kind of Eco-tourism is the “staycation.” What could be better than exploring the many wonderful local offerings in our own region? Using public transit to get to them will make the trips even more eco-friendly! Here are several local public gardens in the Wash- ington, DC, area that are fascinating to explore and easy to access — and most all of these are FREE or very low-cost! Smithsonian Gardens The easiest to access are the Smithsonian Gardens (www.gardens. si.edu/). Yes, there is green space on the National Mall and it is not all a turfgrass lawn! The Smithsonian Gardens are made up of 12 distinct spaces — from a re-creation of a World War II vegetable and flower garden at the Victory Garden at the National Museum of American History to the contemporary, sunken Hirshhorn Museum and Sculp - ture Garden. All are free to all visitors. Many of these gardens host educational programming and docents give regular tours. One of the most informative tours is hosted by Horticulturist Janet Draper at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden every Tuesday at 2 p.m. throughout October. Getting There: Take Metro to the Smithsonian station or any of the surrounding metro stops near the Mall. You can also take the Circula - tor, 70 metrobus lines, and 30 metrobus lines. U.S. Botanic Garden Also on the National Mall and easily accessible is the U.S. Bo - tanic Garden (http://usbg.gov/). Along with the adjoining National Garden, Bartholdi Park, and U.S. Capitol Grounds, it is administered through the Architect of the Capitol and is not part of the Smithsonian as is commonly assumed. It is also one of the few tourist sites open on both Christmas and New Year’s Day. That means it is getting more and more crowded on those dates as the secret has spread, so go early and be prepared to stand in line to view the annual holiday garden railroad display. Getting There: Take Metro to the L’Enfant station or any of the surrounding stops near the Mall. You can also take the Circulator and 30 metrobus lines, which stop in back of the Botanic Garden. Franciscan Monastery If you are avoiding crowds, try the Franciscan Monastery in the Brookland neighborhood of NE, WDC (www.myfranciscan.org/). The Monastery grounds are free and open to all. They are known for their fantastic bulb displays timed around Easter, but come back in late May/early June for stunning roses and later in the summer for cooling off in the catacombs and grotto. Getting There: I usually take the Metro to Brookland and walk up the steep hill along Quincy Street to get to it, but there are a few buses that get you closer (the H6 and the 80). U. S. National Arboretum Not far from the Monastery is the U. S. National Arboretum (www. usna.usda.gov). The Arboretum is under the US Department of Agri - culture and its mission has been more one of research than of public outreach and education, but there are many plant collections and dis- play areas to explore. The grounds are large and it would take several visits to see it all. Start with the Herb Garden and the Bonsai Museum. Plan to visit often and in all seasons to see how the gardens change throughout the year. Getting There: The best way to go is to take the B2 bus and walk in from the R Street entrance. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Just across the Anacostia River from the Arboretum is the Ke - nilworth Aquatic Gardens (www.nps.gov/keaq/index.htm). If you go
Franciscan Monastery in Spring (Photo by Michelle Alonso) on a weekday, you pretty much have the whole place to yourself. This is the true hidden oasis of the city — a former waterlily nursery now a national park. It is also a wildlife haven. Both photographers and birders frequent the gardens in the early mornings, leaving before the heat of the day. They are missing out, though, as the hundreds of water lilies and lotuses open up in the direct sun and are best viewed in mid- day during their peak period of July-August. Getting There: You can get there by canoe on the Anacostia River easier than by transit. I usually take the Metro to Deanwood and hoof it over. It is not a bad half-mile walk, except for having to take an ele- The Bishop’s Close at the National Cathedral is accessible and open to all. The secluded, walled garden is on the south-facing side of the Cathedral and is downhill from it as well, giving it a great perspective on the building. The garden itself is sunny and bright to support the roses and English-style perennial borders, but there are some shady quiet spots for contemplation, quiet reading, and reflection. vated pedestrian bridge over Kenilworth Avenue. Bishop’s Close - DC’s National Cathedral Getting There: Take one of the many 30 buses that go up and down Wisconsin Avenue and get off when you see the looming spires. Hillwood Museum and Gardens Hillwood Museum and Gardens (https://hillwoodmuseum.org/) in NW, WDC, is the estate of the late Marjorie Merriweather Post. She designed the gardens to look best in the spring and fall, so those are the prime times to visit; though in the summer, the cutting garden is particularly spectacular. There is a suggested entry donation of $18 per adult. The garden is closed on Mondays, some holidays, and for several weeks in January. Getting There: Take the Metro to Van Ness/UDC and walk down - hill on Upton Street to Linnean Avenue. County-Run Gardens Farther afield, both Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD (http:// montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/), and Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA (www.fairfaxcounty.gov/
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PATHWAYS—Summer 23—31
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