Washington DC is a city that is full of green spaces. We have plenty of parks, gardens and wooded trails. We offer plenty of natural beauty for visitors and residents to enjoy. There is one place that blends natural beauty and history together. The United States Botanic Garden is the oldest public garden in the United States. It’s a cultural institution that is worth a visit!
The US Botanic Garden was the shared dream of three of the nation’s most influential presidents.
The idea for the institution began in 1816 when the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of the Art and Sciences in Washington DC propose the creation of a botanic garden to collect, grow and distribute plants.
The garden was established by Congress in 1820 and it functioned util the institute stopped holding meetings in 1837. Several years later, however, in 1842, the idea of national botanic garden emerged.
Plants from around the world were initially placed in a greenhouse behind the Old Patent Post Office Building. In 1850, the plants were moved to the site where the Columian Institute’s garden once was located.
The National Garden, which opened in 2016, features the Regional Garden of Mid-Atlantic plants and includes the Rose Garden and the ever-popular Butterfly Garden.
Across the street, Bartholdi Park is a treasured hidden park for Washingtonians. There are many different them gardens surrounding the historic Bartholdi Fountains.
The US Botanic Garden offers many different rotating exhibits and programs throughout the year where visitors can learn about the importance of plants to the well-being of humans.
The US Botanic Garden is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20001. It is free to visit and is open every day of the year from 10am - 5pm.
