Top Washington Gardens
Springtime in Washington is marked not by the groundhog's prediction, but by the first burst of little pink flowers clustering on a single branch of a cherry blossom tree in the Washington gardens. In other parts of Washington, it's the deeper pink magnolia, with its dramatic petals. Everywhere, pink and white flowers are yawning open, showing signs of life like a small baby, and it's no wonder the world flocks to Washington gardens to enjoy the end of winter.
You can join the mobs that take over the tidal basin and parts of the National Mall, where the pink flowers, water and white marble memorials make for some of the best postcards produced. But if you want to wander without being overwhelmed or having other people in your pictures, try some new (and lesser traveled) parts for your own spring viewing.
Lafayette Square. This park in front of the White House bursts forth with several pink magnolia trees. Take a seat on one of the benches and enjoy the views of the White House and the gardens planted in the park.
National Arboretum. Enjoy walking (or biking) through Washington's best-kept secret of a playground, where each spring it enjoys its own selection of blooming trees and cherry blossoms. Here you'll be able to take pictures without jumping into someone else's picture or vice versa, and even have room to sit under a tree and breathe in the spring air.
Brookside Botanical Gardens. These public gardens in Montgomery County are popular with local Marylanders and their families. Bring a picnic and enjoy other springtime blooms currently happening in the gardens.
Kenwood. This section of Chevy Chase is famous for its wealth of cherry blossoms; locals come from all over Washington to drive their cars through the beautiful pink-lined streets. All you need is an old school 1940's convertible and a scarf around your head, and you've stepped back in time when life was easier.
Bethesda near Westmoreland Circle. Go for a walk around this quintissential little suburb for some up-close and tourist-free viewing of various magnolias and cherry blossoms growing in people's yards. As a bonus, you can admire the gardens planted by the residents in front of their picture-perfect little houses, with the tricycles and wagons in the driveway to provide a nice Norman Rockwell image to photograph.
Posted on May 6, 2011 by Rin-rin Yu
