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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
February 11, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Despite the name “sailors’ valentines,” these sentimental treasures have nothing to do with February 14th or Valentine’s Day. Instead, these tokens of love and friendship were given to wives, mothers, sisters, and friends upon a seafarer’s return from a long voyage at sea. Sailors’ valentines are octagonal wooden boxes often made from Cerdrella (Spanish Cedar) that range in […]
February 1, 2022 at 1:31 am
Valentine’s Day is one of the best times to use flowery language. From heartfelt letters to store-bought cards, we see it everywhere during this time of year. If you’re looking for a unique way to tell someone how special they are to you, consider trying out the original flowery language: floriography.Before people used emojis to […]
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 […]
December 14, 2021 at 7:39 pm
Every year, Smithsonian Gardens decorates the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. with festive plants for the holidays. This year, SG recorded a few time-lapse videos showing what the process looks like at the National Museum of American History (NMAH), National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and Smithsonian Castle. Watch (at a lightning pace) how the whole thing comes together and […]
November 1, 2021 at 6:29 pm
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich history and culture of indigenous people. It is also an opportunity for all to recognize the contributions and influences that Native Americans have on today’s society. The landscape at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is no exception. The plantings […]
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 […]
September 20, 2021 at 11:28 am
As horticulturists working for Smithsonian Gardens, we have the unique opportunity to work on collaborative projects with Smithsonian museums and outside artists. One such instance was a recent exhibit now on display at the National Museum of Natural History called Unsettled Nature: Artists Reflect on the Age of Humans. One of the artists featured in […]