StoryMaps are maps which tell stories!  Through images, videos, and maps, we use StoryMaps to tell immersive stories of Smithsonian Gardens. So far, we have created beautiful tours through our flowering trees, guides, and are excited to keep creating more! Check back here to see when we add more.

Acorns on Oak Tree

An Ode to Oaks 

How old are oaks, and where do they grow? Take a leafy walk through the history and diversity of oaks around the world and at Smithsonian Gardens with this StoryMap!

Mary Livingston Ripley Garden in the fall

Fall Foliage Walking Tour of Smithsonian Gardens

Our gardens are full of deciduous trees which turn vibrant colors in the fall. We’ve put together a walking tour of some of the highlights of our autumnal tree collection, so you can enjoy fall peeping from home, or in our gardens.

Natural Museum of American History
The Habitat exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution Gardens, May, 2019, Washington, DC.

Tour the Tree Collection 

We are thrilled to welcome you back, and would like to offer you a tour through the tree collection of our gardens. From shade tree to shade tree, we’ll stop at interesting points along the way.

Collage introduces Plant Explorer. Clockwise from top left: Picea abies 'Acrocona' cone, Magnolia grandiflora flower, Diospyros virginiana fruit, Ginkgo leaf

Be A Plant Explorer

See how to use Plant Explorer, a catalog of all our trees and orchids, to discover and learn more about our Living Plant Collection.

Flowering cherry at the National Air and Space Museum.
Flowering cherry tree at the National Air and Space Museum.

Cherry Blossoms of Smithsonian Gardens 

Take a springtime walk through the Washington, DC cherry blossoms, and learn about several different types of ornamental cherry trees in our collection.