September 30, 2024 at 11:53 am
As you walk through the Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, D.C., you will notice a variety of birds. The city is home to over 300 bird species, from tiny finches clinging to flower heads to large hawks soaring in the sky above. These birds rely on diverse plant life and green spaces to nest, feed, and […]
July 20, 2021 at 10:38 am
One of the many joys of working at a public garden is the ability to constantly change and improve the garden spaces. Often it is merely the addition or removal of a few plants here and there, but sometimes we get to enjoy completely renovating a space from the ground up. This spring at the […]
November 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Smithsonian Gardens (SG) is pleased to announce that Joy (Kaminsky) Columbus, most recently the Vice President of Horticulture at the new Houston Botanic Garden, has been hired as the fifth Director of Smithsonian Gardens. Joy has dedicated twenty years to a career in public gardens, working at sites in New York, Ohio, Illinois and, most recently, Texas. She’s always known she wanted to work outside […]
August 3, 2020 at 3:20 pm
It’s finally summer! And if you’re like me, your garden has been fully planted for a few months now. All your perennials, annuals, shrubs, and trees are putting on new growth and blending together into one beautiful palette. Summer is the time to sit back and enjoy your garden full of flowers, fragrances, vegetables, and […]
April 21, 2020 at 12:15 pm
While walking my dog Tiber this weekend I encountered a sure sign that spring had truly arrived: the appearance of the trout lily. Technically known as Erythronium americanum, the trout lily is a true member of the lily family. It gets its common name from the mottled markings on its leaves which resemble a brook trout. Like […]
September 26, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Pumpkin-based goodies may be all the rage this time of year, but other plants from the garden also lend themselves to home-made treats. Callicarpa americana, also known as beautyberry, is now in season with the dazzling fruits that it bears. Beautyberry is typically grown as an ornamental shrub, with its purple drupes (or stone fruit) […]