A Day in Washington, D.C.

This past weekend we had glorious autumn weather–cool and crisp, bright and sunny–azure skies were the backdrop to the russets, golds, scarlet and brown of autumn leaves.

Launch Gallery

This retiring weekend we had brilliant autumn weather – cool and crisp , bright and sunny – azure skies were the background to the russet , gold , scarlet and brown of autumn parting . What better time for a daytrip to visit the White House Garden and the U.S. Botanic Garden ?

When my friend Laura Anthony , who is Special Events Coordinator at the U.S. Botanic Garden , forebode and told me she had slate for the White House Garden Tour , I said sure , I ’d be thrilled to go with her . This consequence happen only twice a year : one day in the spring and one day in the evenfall and one needs ticket to be admitted onto the grounds . Saturday was an absolutely sterling autumnal day ; the streets of D.C. were animated with locals – lots of families with babe stollers – as well as tourists from around the earth .

We parked and walk around to the entranceway logic gate and by then a large bunch was meet – the line moved quickly though and everyone was fairly friendly . Once through security and on the grounds , visitors could pretty much walkabout on their own , although there were a lot of stave , orphic military service and security measure there , in fiat to keep folks off of the grass and from entering the closed off areas . Foot traffic from the many visitors in the low gardens would have been too incursive , so we had to view some gardens from a aloofness .

First view of the White House flanked by the splendid magnolias on either side of the entrance is indeed , regal . Those southerly Magnolias , which are huge , were implant by Andrew Jackson in 1830 ! Laura and I were delighted to chew the fat with some of the White House personnel who are in charge of the grounds and garden … one of whom is an honest-to-goodness herbal admirer . They explain how the mum are start and edit out back in summer for this fall display . We are thankful that they have their job back and that they were allow to water during the shutdown in lodge to keep the plants live . Some of the tree are very old and huge … dead grand specimens from around the country and the world .

I screw the combining of brilliant over-embellished salvia spikes with brilliant orange florists' chrysanthemum against green hedges and topiary in front of the East Wing , known as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden or the East Garden . After lots of photo ops , we move along in a steady menstruation of visitors with our term of enlistment books , which numbered works , gardens and displays and explained what they were , dates of rootage , etc . The pamphlet is very well done and informative … thus , I can really give you factoid about some of the plant and their chronicle .

The West Wing connects the Main House ( kin living quarter ) to the Oval Office . The Rose Garden ( 1913 ) is in front of this arena . Even now there are specimen of roses in bloom . There is a Children ’s Garden which was dedicated by Lady Bird Johnson in 1969 , the tiddler ’s playground , put fleeceable , basketball game royal court , however these were not accessible for this tour .

From my stage of survey , besides the bird’s-eye vista of sweeping lawn , huge honest-to-goodness trees , fountain , colorful plantings and view of the Washington Monument , the most prominent aspect of the footing are the trees . There is an telling diverseness of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on the grounds and some of them date back to the 1800s . President of the United States and their First Ladies set many of these trees and I think each of the tree represent a office in our account … the ancient to modern day . One really does not consider the earth of the White House as being a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree chancel ; however , it is a veritable arboretum . Just take the air the perimeter of the ground – you may do this on the pavement on the other side of the fence – and you may view this treasure trove of trees . Most of them are labeled .

Last yet not least , there is the White House Kitchen Garden , which I was capable to gossip just after it was dedicated in 2009 . Although , my garden had a rime last calendar week , it is warmer in D.C. , so the garden was still in its crepuscle glory . Lots of greens and herbs still to be harvested . There is a Thomas Jefferson bed which features heirloom seed from Monticello which contains artichokes , beets , Brussels sprouts , lucre and pelf . I project herb like Petroselinum crispum and basil and a large pineapple salvia in bloom ; these pull in the Presidential Pollinators , which are locate nearby . The hive now has six supers and last year produced 250 pounds of dearest ; I think they said that there were some 770,000 bee ( though I am not sure how they count them ) .

We so enjoyed the garden duty tour and as we walk back to the car , we devolve by the Renwick Gallery , which is having a show on hoop . So … we had to bulge in for a warm view … and we for certain were happy that we did . To get down , there is a telecasting of the basketmakers from around the land and one of the prerequisites of the show was that the crafters had to forage , gather and make their basket - pretend stuff themselves . It showed them cut blanched oak tree and splitting it , gathering willow , Australian honeysuckle vines , sweetgrass and more , form them into works of art . The collection of basketball hoop is exquisite and wonderful to catch ; best though , at the ending there is really a manus - on display with baskets which are for picking up and touching and examining .

After a lovely and tasty tiffin at one of the restaurant on 14th Street , we headed for the U.S. Botanic Garden to view the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum that Laura had been telling me about . Although she had described this industrial plant to me in point , I really had no idea that it would be such an impressive display – or how big it is ! It is truly a botanical phenomena ; in Japan this plant is calledOzukuri , this artistry form was developed in Japan and China over 200 year ago . It takes 12 to 18 months to train this chrysanthemum cultivarSusono - no - Tsuki , which requires exacting concern . The goal is to get one works to produce 1,000 bloom , however if there are at least 500 flush on a unmarried industrial plant , it qualifies to be call a Thousand Bloom .

This industrial plant was shared with the USBG by Longwood Gardens . These are the only two works of this variety on video display in the U.S. Go and see this amazing specimen on video display now at the USBG or check it out at thewww.usbg.gov . During the Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens from October 26 to November 24 , there will be over 20,000 ma on display along with their Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum.www.longwoodgardens.org

As we set out the botanical garden , we walk out to see the sun shining a golden twinkle on the dome of The Capitol set off by rust - colored leaf in the foreground … a adorable vignette for the terminal of a complete day sightseeing in our nation ’ s capitol .

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The White House opens its gardens for one day in the spring and one day in the fall, for the public to view (you do need tickets). Here is a view from the South Lawn–the White House flanked on either side by magnificent magnolias. Click on other pix to enlarge and read captions.Photo/Illustration: Susan Belsinger

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