When I’m home in the Washington, DC area, some of my favorite places to photograph flowers are at some of the local botanical gardens. Most have professional staffs of gardeners who maintain the plants in spectacular condition, and are often available to answer questions about the flowers. They’re are often happy to let you know about plants that are at their peak bloom. Another great feature of photographing at professionally maintained gardens is they often have identification signs by the flowers – letting you know what you’ve been photographing. These signs are how I’ve learned to identify and classify many of the flowers I photograph.
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland is the local garden where I spend the most time. In the spring, their daffodil and tulip displays are unmatched in the Washington DC area. Throughout the summer, there is an ever changing display of flowers in bloom. One summer highlight at Brookside Gardens is the Wings of Fancy Butterfly Exhibit in the Conservatory. This year’s Wings of Fancy Exhibit will run from April 30 – September 18.
Brookside Gardens is located in Wheaton Reginal Park. The gardens are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
McCrillis Gardens in Bethesda, Maryland is a little-known part of Montgomery County’s Parks Department. Primarily a shade garden, McCrillis has an incredible variety of shade loving plants in natural settings. The gazebo and pavillion provide wonderful seating areas to enjoy these beautiful gardens. McCrillis Gardens are the smallest of the local public gardens and the least crowded. I’ve rarely seen more than one or two other people at the gardens when I’ve been there. So if you’re looking for a quiet peaceful garden to explore, McCrillis may be a great choice for you to visit.
McCrillis Gardens is located in Bethesda on Greentree Road. The gardens are open daily from 10 AM until sunset.
Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, Virginia is another garden on my frequently visited lists. With a variety of gardens from demonstration gardens to incredible perennials there is always something wonderful to photograph at Green Spring Gardens. One of my favorite areas of these gardens is the native plant garden and wooded path to a stream. There are literally hundreds of native plants growing in the woods, many have identification signs. This is one of the best places in the area to discover plants that are native to the region.
Green Spring Gardens is located on Green Spring Road in Alexandria, Virginia. The gardens are open daily.
The U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC is one of the largest if not the largest public garden in the area. With over 440 acres of land and 9.5 miles of roads, there is always something to see at the National Arboretum. Some of my favorite areas of the garden are Fern Valley (full of native plants), the Pepper Garden, and all the wonderful flowering trees, including magnolias, azaleas and cherry trees. If you want to see cherry trees in bloom in the spring, the National Arboretum is one of the best places in DC to see them – they have more varieties than the Tidal Basin – and many fewer people.
The National Arboretum is located on New York Avenue in Washington, DC. The garden is open daily (except December 25) from 8 AM to 5 PM.
When I’m traveling, I try to visit local botanical gardens. On my spring wildflower trip last month, I visited the North Carolina Arboretum and the Asheville Botanical Garden in Asheville, North Carolina and the Reflection Riding Arboretum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Do you have a favorite botanical garden I should put on my list to visit when I’m in your area? If so – please let me know.
The flowers accompanying this article are
Yulan Magnolia – U.S. National Arboretum
Glory of the Snow – Brookside Gardens
Royal Star Magnolia – McCrillis Gardens
Zowie Zinnia – Green Spring Gardens
Yoshino Cherry Blossoms – U.S. National Arboretum
Grecian Windflower – Brookside Gardens
These are so pretty! Makes me want to come to DC for the flowers!