1703 32nd St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 339-6401
www.doaks.org/gardens
The blooming gardens at Dumbarton Oaks truly offer a diverse range of plants and flowers. Back in the 1920s, landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand, and lady of the house Mildred Bliss worked together on what was to become a 30-year development into a wondrous garden landscape. From terraces, vegetable beds, orchards, cutting gardens and garden rooms filled with ornamentals, the elegant garden surroundings have seen numerous additions and alterations through the years. The gardens first opened to the public in 1939 and remain a popular attraction for experiencing floral architecture at its finest. In 1956 Dumbarton Oaks was also awarded the first fellowship in landscape architecture.
100 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 225-8333
www.usbg.gov
The United States Botanic Garden offers a splendid abundance of floral varieties. As a year-round operation, the site comprises of a conservatory, outdoor garden and even permanent and special event exhibits. Here you will find everything botanical, including ornamental favorites like roses and orchids, rare and endangered plant species, rainforest blooms and other climate-specific flora, like those found in the jungle and desert. Rare and climate-specific items are housed indoors, whereas the outdoor National Garden features vibrant colors and diversity found in naturally blossoming plants of the mid-Atlantic. Nearby Bartholdi Park also illustrates the essence of vivid gardening landscape scenes.
Pilgrim Road
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 537-2937
www.allhallowsguild.org/Grounds/bishops-garden
On the 59 acres that surround Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral you will find many unique landscaping features, including the lush Bishop’s Garden. The diverse makeup of the garden includes manmade architectural beauty and statues as well as nature’s own artistic masterpieces in floral accents and plant varieties. The gardens even feature Biblically referenced plants, like fig trees, cedars and more. Visitors to the garden are welcome to take part in self-guided tours, stroll the wooded pathways and discover peace and tranquility in their own private Eden.
Related: Best Places To See Flowers This Spring In The DC Area
3501 New York Ave., N.E.
Washington, D. C. 20002
(202) 245-2726
www.usna.usda.gov
The National Arboretum has been attracting interested visitors and agricultural enthusiasts since its 1927 establishment. Comprising of 446 acres, this unique research center and huge garden houses a plethora of flora, from diverse trees and shrubs, plants and myriad flower varieties. The different garden divisions feature flowering tree collections, aquatic plants, Asian collections, herbs, Bonsai trees, a holy collection and other focuses. In addition to featured flowers and master displays in landscaping, the Arboretum also serves as a museum of art, live floral showcase, research center and extensive botany library.
4155 Linnean Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 686-5807
www.hillwoodmuseum.org
Spanning over 13 acres of gardens, Hillwood Estate’s floral accents and botanical beauty truly accent the essence of the overall mansion. The site offers numerous features in art, history and décor, both indoors and out, with a mission to charm and inspire visitors. The gardens are works of art in their own right, featuring a wide array of diverse arrangements, always in bloom. The garden comprises of several outdoor rooms of different floral displays as well as the secluded French Parterre, covered in ivy. Other lush varieties include a charming rose garden, orchids and more.
