August 18, 2022 at 1:55 pm
Smithsonian Gardens (SG) and the Archives of American Gardens (AAG) have a lot to celebrate in 2022. This year marks a series of institutional milestones, including the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Smithsonian Gardens in 1972, the 35th anniversary of the formation of the Archives of American Gardens in 1987, and the 30th anniversary […]
June 13, 2022 at 5:35 pm
What better way to honor Father’s Day than by celebrating men and their flowers? Here are a few fun photos from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens, which houses tens of thousands of images and records that document gardens and landscapes from the 1890s to today. David Burpee was a seed seller with a strong […]
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 […]
October 5, 2021 at 9:15 am
While October is American Archives Month, the Archives of American Gardens (managed by Smithsonian Gardens) celebrates the importance of archives year-round! Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, staff who manage Smithsonian Gardens’ Archives of American Gardens (AAG) have been primarily teleworking from home. Despite the fact that they have not been […]
August 25, 2021 at 12:36 pm
Women from all backgrounds and interests have shaped the course of American gardens. Read on to learn about a few famous names – and some lesser-known garden heroes. Carrie Lippincott, plant breeder and businesswoman 1863 – ? One of the first American women to establish a seed-selling business was Carrie H. Lippincott, who built a […]
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. […]
January 6, 2021 at 2:00 pm
Now that the holidays are officially over it’s time to shift gears and start thinking about the upcoming spring gardening season. While 2020 proved to be a difficult year in some ways for gardeners, the surge in popularity of both vegetable and ornamental gardening was a great boost for seed companies. This sudden demand left […]
June 24, 2020 at 4:33 pm
It all began during a conversation about archival description with my mentor at the Archives of American Gardens, Kelly Crawford. We stumbled onto the topic of describing sexuality when I wondered aloud about the existence of LGBTQ-related records preserved in the collections. I was intrigued to learn that Perry Hunt Wheeler (1913-1989), a renowned 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 […]
October 4, 2019 at 10:00 am
October is Archives Month, and as gardeners across the country harvest the last of their summer crops, we’re turning our attention to a different type of harvesting: preserving stories about gardens for future generations. Smithsonian Gardens’ Community of Gardens digital archive is celebrating Archives Month with a story-behind-the-story featuring a contributor to our digital archive.
July 16, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Here at Smithsonian Gardens, we’re WILD about wildlife—the birds, bees, insects, and helpful critters that contribute to our garden, community, and planet health. That’s why we’re so excited to announce our first Community of Gardens Community Collaborators, the National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife program.
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.