Attraction of the Week: Season’s Greetings at the U.S. Botanical Gardens in D.C.
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Washington D.C. is home to a number of fun, free, and festive holiday attractions. While hotels in the area can be a bit pricey, most museums and several holiday attractions will cost you absolutely nothing! This helps keep trip costs down a bit. If you are looking to go the budget friendly route, you have a dozen world-renowned Smithsonian museums, the beautiful National Tree, and the gorgeous U.S. Capitol building which you can tour for free. Winter is actually a great time to plan a vacation as you can mix and match historical and holiday attractions.
One hidden gem I came across on my recent visit is the beautiful U.S. Botanical Gardens. During the holiday season, they host a special free display. Season’s Greetings features colorful poinsettia displays, plus replicas of famous D.C. landmarks and a model train display. I was so impressed by the replicas which fantastic even though they are made of plant material. I recommend taking a close look at each during your visit.
The oldest continuously operated public garden
You will find an amazing collection of indoor and outdoor gardens which you can enjoy anytime of the year. During the cold winter months, a walk through the beautiful conservatory is a nice cozy escape from the chilly air. It felt so good to walk into what I think was around an 80+ degree conservatory on a cold, windy winter day.
Over 44,000 plants are on display in the permanent gardens. Highlights include an orchid collection of over 3000, a gorgeous tropical garden featuring a 93 foot tall domed ceiling, and World deserts featuring exotic cacti from around the world. I really loved strolling around during the winter season. When everything is so barren outside, I felt like I was transported to a tropical paradise, surrounded by lush greenery in every direction.
This D.C. gem claims the title of oldest continuously operated public garden in America. In 1820, George Washington played a pivotal role in the creation. Today, you can view his letter pertaining to the gardens in the archives at the beautiful Library of Congress. The original garden operated until 1837 and was reestablished in 1842. The gorgeous conservatory which exists today has been in continuous operation since 1850.
Learn more about the garden’s beginnings
Christmas at the Gardens
This is one of many of the city’s holiday events which is open free to the public. I love when cities offer something for everyone of every budget. It runs from Late November and ends just after New Year’s. Everything just looks so beautiful. I love how they mixed in the poinsettias with the other plants; it really created a picture-perfect scene.
A model train display operates from 10am-5pm daily. The display features agricultural scenes from across the US (made from plants). Update: New for 2025, they are incorporating dinosaurs made from plants into the display.
Landmark replicas: the highlight of the display
Artistic replicas of many famous D.C. landmarks are definitely the star attraction of this event. These authentic recreations of landmarks such as The White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Lincoln Memorial are made from over 70 different types of plant material.
Browsing around, I could tell that a lot of dedication and hard work is put into each piece. Take a closer look and the fine attention to detail is evident. I saw a sign that said that the U.S. Capitol building took 600 hours to make! What a treat to view these masterpieces for free.
Here is a little photo gallery of some of my favorites on display.
The outdoor gardens
The outdoor gardens are lit up beautifully at night. If you have the time, stop over to view the small, but dazzling light display. We stopped over real quick on our way to another attraction. It was so quiet and beautiful, simple, yet elegant.
Be sure to take the quick walk over to the West Lawn of the US Capitol building to see the tree. It truly is gorgeous and not as crowded as The National Tree. I actually prefer this tree. First off, I prefer multi color lights over white. And second, it’s so gigantic – it really makes a statement. And third, the Capitol building in the background creates such a picture-perfect scene.
Additional Info
- Gardens address:100 Maryland Ave SW
- 2025 event dates & hours: Nov. 27th-Jan. 4th. Closed Christmas
- Hours: 10am – 5pm . Closed Christmas. Open later on select night. See website for details.
- Learn more about the gardens
