Smithsonian? Who needs a museum?

All my DD's graduation exercises happened on the National Mall. We went walking around the Smithsonian, but I never went in any of the museums as there was too much to see outside in the gardens all around.
These pictures are from the area around the Castle building, including the Enid Haupt Gardens. Enid Haupt was the sister of Walter Annenberg and a magazine publisher and philanthropist. If you have ever been to the New York Botanic Garden in the Bronx, you can tour the Victorian conservatory that she rescued and had restored which bears her name. These are some views of the Parterre and a section of the Arabic fountain and pyramid and an unusual magnolia.
I want to steal all the terracotta pots that you see in the following pictures.
Martha

Some more pictures. The Moongate garden and the name of that magnolia.
Martha

More pictures. Some interesting pots and a miniature ginko biloba 'Troll'. The apostle pot is modern.
Martha

More pictures. An interesting birdbath in a bird garden and nobody, but nobody does garden gnomes like the Smithsonian. Check out the triceratops head! the last three pictures are from a butterfly garden next to one of the museums. Anybody here belong to a GCA garden club?
Martha

More pictures from the butterfly garden. The hosta is the plant that I wanted to dig up and take home the most. And an interesting wrought iron fence.
Martha

More pictures from the butterfly garden. The Amsonia or Blue Star picture is for my garden club. We have it planted next to our Blue Star Marker at the Veterans Park in town center.
Martha

Thanks for the tour.

Lovely pics!

Thanks, Martha....I loved the tour...yes, that hosta is unusual!

very pretty!

Wow! Martha, I love your eye for details. I was debating on planting that particular Oyama magnolia, but chose Collossus instead. My spot may not be sunny enough for either, though. Your pic shows me why I took a chance on an Oyama magnolia. I'd take the birdbath in a heartbeat too. Aside from that, and the gorgeous ironwork, and the knot garden, there are some ideas here that look do-able. I wonder if the hosta is one of the recent hosta society champs, like Stained Glass.

Not sure about the hosta. It had all different kinds of variegations in one plant. No label of course, being the one plant in the whole garden I wanted to know more about.
Martha

THanks for the tour. Like a good 'local' I've never been around those gardens- guess I am waiting to show it to out of town guests, lol

I am a gardener first and last. I also come from Trenton, NJ which is not too far away from DC. I have been there many times since I was a little girl. A whole lot more in the last three years since my daughter was going to school down there. I just love visiting botanic gardens in whatever shape they come in and the ones around the smithsonian buildings are little treasures. I have to recommend the gardens that enclose the National Museum of the American Indian as well. They represent many of the different areas of our country that have been inhabited by various tribes over the ages plus beautiful sculptures. The museum is great, too, but if you are able to get in there soon, just try the gardens. and don't forget the National Botanic Garden down the block. All free. It's a gorgeous trip.
Martha

I was there last year. We were very impressed. We really wanted to build the coleus towers they had outside the botanic gardens. I wonder if they are a permanent installation.

I took their virtual tour just now. Are they those large redwood structures outside the entrance?
Martha

Yep. Pics taken summer 2011 during our college tour of Wash DC.

yep they showed up in the virtual tour, but the pictures didn't show any plants in them at the time. I bet they are being put out right around now.
Martha

Would guess so. The towers are yet another inspiration. Since seeing them I have looked at several web sites and U tubes about all sorts of vertical towers.

those are cool!!!

Thanks for sharing! Lots of great stuff there. You take great photos!