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 in 2024! Looking back over these years, it’s clear that both our staff and visitors have gone through a metamorphosis in their appreciation of native plants.  

While most people are highly drawn to bright, bold colors of annuals and bulbs in the garden, many of our native species offer these splashes of color in a more subtle manner throughout the year. During the winter dormant season there is beauty to be seen in the tree bark patterns, branching structures and senescent (deteriorating) foliage and stems of the perennial grasses and forbs (better known as wildflowers). The early spring months reveal surprises with spring ephemerals and early blooming shrubs and trees such as pawpaw’s, serviceberries, viburnums, bloodroot, and columbines. Next to be unveiled are the colorful summer bloomers such as garden phlox, black-eyed Susans, hydrangeas and cardinal flowers. However, autumn is by far the perfect stage for our east coast native plants. So many of our native trees and shrubs display deep, rich, beautiful leaf color in the fall. At NMAI the northern side of the museum features an Upland Hardwood Forest. Due to the shady conditions there, it seems like it takes several weeks longer for these colors to develop though they persist on the plants longer than most of the plants around the National Mall. Along with these cyclical changes that Mother Nature brings, we as stewards of the land use the changing seasons as opportunities to enhance and improve our gardens.  

While most of the landscape plants at NMAI are permanent plantings of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials; those found in the Traditional Croplands located on the south side of the museum are an exception. This space allows us the opportunity to feature and highlight agronomic and food crops traditionally grown by Native Americans. The croplands are also a way for Smithsonian Gardens to link our living plants to the museum’s artifacts and exhibits. To prepare for the winter months, we usually clear the beds, rotate the crops, and plant leafy greens and cover crops to replenish and stabilize the soil. All of these undertakings are traditional land management practices utilized by Native Americans.  

Three Sisters Garden at the Native Landscape at the National Museum of the American Indian

This winter the croplands will feature Kale (Brassica oleracea ‘Vates’) and Collards (Brassica oleracea var. ‘Champion’). By the time we plant these crops, next spring’s garden plans will be well underway. In 2024 the croplands will feature a chili pepper collection, several types of tobacco, a Three Sisters Garden, cotton, sorghum, sunflowers, and numerous other flowers, vegetables, and tropical plant species. One highlight we install each summer is a Canoe Garden which features a collection of plants the Pacific Islanders brought with them during their voyages to new islands to ensure they had the resources necessary for their survival.  

The Canoe Garden is an example of the cultural connection this landscape has with the museum and one way our visitors connect with the gardens. Seeing these unusual plants often inspires visitors to share their own experiences and ask questions about how these plants are used. For some staff and visitors, a particular plant may spark a special memory of an event, person or experience they’ve had.  

While all of the garden tasks Smithsonian Gardens’ horticulturists perform are cyclical in nature, they offer us a chance to stay connected to the earth, reflect on our past efforts, and be hopeful of what the next season may bring to the garden. I hope you get the opportunity to visit the landscape at the National Museum of the American Indian in 2024 and join us as we celebrate our twentieth year!