February 24, 2025 at 2:08 pm
This article is part two of a two-part series. If you missed part one, check it out here! In the January edition of the Smithsonian Gardens Newsletter, we started a discussion on winter pruning. We considered why pruning can and should be done during the winter, the importance of knowing the reason behind pruning a […]
January 24, 2025 at 1:06 pm
This article is part one of a two-part series. Stay tuned for the February newsletter for part two! With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, now is the time to start thinking about getting back outside into your garden. No, not just to shovel snow or refill the birdfeeders…but rather for some winter pruning! Ornamental […]
June 13, 2024 at 12:26 pm
In 1987 the renowned biologist and conservationist E. O. Wilson addressed a gathering at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. Wilson hypothesized in his talk, “The Little Things That Run the World,” that if insects disappeared most flowering plants would also disappear. Because so many flowers are pollinated by insects, natural […]
November 6, 2023 at 1:23 pm
Fall is officially upon us in the Washington, D.C. region. This is especially evident at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) where our native plant landscape is awash in shades of golden amber, orange, crimson and rustic brown. It’s hard to believe the museum and landscape are gearing up for their 20th anniversary […]
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. […]
August 1, 2023 at 11:12 am
The Victory Garden at Smithsonian Gardens is a demonstration vegetable garden located on the east side of the National Museum of American History. It is used by our gardening staff to interpret the Victory Garden trend that was popular during World War II (1941-1945). During that time, millions of victory gardens in all shapes and […]
May 31, 2023 at 5:07 pm
Roses have been a beautiful and fragrant part of our garden palette for thousands of years. Humans have cultivated roses for their medicinal properties, for the floral trade, and for beautifying our public and private gardens. Through breeding, we have increased the flower petal count from the typical number of five on a species rose […]
December 27, 2022 at 6:15 pm
I like to add a bit of whimsy to the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden whenever possible, especially during the winter months. Last year I created a gnome that I named LeRoy. I had seen a similar idea when I visited a garden center in North Carolina and figured out how to make one of my […]
November 7, 2022 at 3:33 pm
Visitors to the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery most certainly notice the 25-foot-tall trees that inhabit and beautify this wonderful indoor space between the two museums. These twelve trees, all part of the Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection, answer to the common name ‘Shady Lady’ black olive and belong […]
September 9, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Don’t accept the rule that the best way to care for your home landscape in the fall is by making it cleaner than your kitchen or better organized than your garage. In the past, the standard approach would be to prune all evergreens into the shape of a meatball, chop all perennials after the first […]
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 […]
July 14, 2022 at 2:26 pm
Smithsonian Gardens (SG) is celebrating its 50th anniversary on July 31, 2022! It has been truly amazing to witness the growth and positive impact that SG has experienced as it has matured into a world-class public garden and living museum that serves millions of visitors in Washington, D.C. each year. SG serves as a vital […]
April 26, 2022 at 11:50 am
It can be challenging in urban settings to maintain a garden while also managing the complexities of a natural ecosystem, and at Smithsonian Gardens it is no different. But one thing that we strive to do in all of our gardens is to create healthy and resilient habitats for many different kinds of wildlife. These […]
April 4, 2022 at 9:58 am
As gardeners we are often confronted with questions like “When is the best time to plant my tomatoes?” or “When is the right time to apply a pre-emergent for crabgrass control on my lawn?” Questions like these are frequently difficult to answer as there is often much variation in the spring weather from one year […]
January 10, 2022 at 10:31 am
As we pack away the holiday decorations and look around our cold and frosty gardens, the traditional custom is to clean everything up. Well, consider this your official permission to procrastinate that winter cleanup! If you are dreading the doldrums of winter and are not looking forward to raking up all those leaves and cutting back […]