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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]