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 […]
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 […]
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 […]