March 1, 2024 at 2:49 pm
In fall 2023, the Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection (SGOC) hosted intern Mimi Diaz-Salgado, a recent graduate of Wellesley College, for an 11-week learning opportunity. Mimi’s internship involved both hands-on orchid care and research related to the biocultural connections of orchids in the collection, of which the blog below is a result. SGOC is grateful to […]
January 5, 2024 at 4:26 pm
The future of orchids is lush, bold, inspiring, and something that we can realize together. This year’s orchid exhibit, The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration, takes visitors on a deep dive into the weird and wild world of orchids, highlighting large-scale artworks that invite visitors to imagine the future of orchids, and sharing […]
September 22, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Change is happening in the gardens around the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). If you’ve visited recently, you may have noticed the transformations. The landscape is maturing as it completes its seventh year in the ground. Trees have established and reach for the sky while woody shrubs fill their borders. […]
June 30, 2023 at 1:41 pm
One reason we preserve our living collections is to be able to do science with those collections. But sometimes, doing science is also living collections preservation in action. Such is the case with our accessioned crapemyrtle trees (Lagerstroemia spp.) and the associated exotic insect pest crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS), Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae. CMBS is a new […]
April 17, 2023 at 11:54 am
It’s an American ideal: our strength is in our diversity. The same applies to our urban trees and urban forests. The diversity of the trees we plant serves as the foundation for the health, strength, and resilience of our urban forests as a whole. Each type of tree comes with its own unique attributes, and […]
March 29, 2023 at 4:54 pm
In honor of April, a.k.a. National Orchid Month, I wanted to share some insights about the Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection and our innovations in the management of living collections. Let’s dive right in, shall we? The Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection (SGOC) began in 1976 with a bequest from philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post, which expanded into […]
February 28, 2022 at 5:56 pm
The seed of Smithsonian Gardens’ orchid collection began in 1969, before the department was even fully realized, when our first director, James Buckler, received a donation of 100 cattleyas. In 1976 the Office of Horticulture rented a greenhouse facility where the donated cattleyas thrived. Buckler “got the orchid bug,” and began a mission for the […]
October 25, 2021 at 11:48 am
Halloween is here! Here are the top five spookiest things floating around Smithsonian Gardens: Spider Orchid The spotted spider orchid (Brassia maculata) uses tricks and treats to get what it wants: pollination. To spider-hunting wasps this orchid looks so much like an arachnid that female wasps will actually land on the flower lips and try […]
August 9, 2021 at 2:20 pm
Flowers are intertwined in the important moments of our lives. From bouquets delivered on birthdays, to corsages and boutonnieres adorning young couples at high school dances, captivated audiences throwing flowers on stage after performances, and even elaborate casket sprays, we use beautiful flowers to mark so many occasions – including anniversaries. A 175th anniversary is […]
April 13, 2021 at 11:47 am
Arbor Day 2021 is April 30. Are you looking for an interesting tree to plant for your Arbor Day? With tens of millions of visitors enjoying our gardens each year, one of the primary collecting goals for the Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection includes displaying and interpreting trees that are underutilized, useful, and/or unique in our regional landscape. […]
May 1, 2020 at 9:30 pm
Ever heard of the pawpaw tree? Ever tasted its fruit? Did you even know it had fruit? Though it does not have the name recognition of an apple or peach tree, the pawpaw tree has a long and important history in the United States, one associated with everything from nutrition to folklore. Pawpaws have the largest fruit of […]
March 19, 2020 at 8:05 pm
Every spring, cherry blossoms bloom back into our lives, welcoming the end of winter with their fragile pink petals. All around our neighborhoods and parks, flowers are beginning to open as peak bloom approaches. Learn more about the different types of cherry blossoms you may see on your daily walk by exploring images of our […]
January 12, 2018 at 8:04 pm
A winter tree inspection can identify and inventory potential problems and hazards. It is also an excellent precursor for pruning early next year, when young and mid-sized trees can be proactively pruned to discourage and avoid weaknesses in the future.
August 1, 2016 at 7:22 pm
Objects and artifacts in a museum collection are typically housed in cases and cabinets with drawers or shelves. As a living museum, Smithsonian Gardens’ plant collections are maintained in the landscape and in a large greenhouse facility. Because plants are living specimens that require vitamins, nutrients and other sources of energy, they must be monitored […]