My grandmother was a garden buff. She had two green thumbs. So it's only natural that when I visited her in DC, there would be horticulture conversation. One day she took me to the National Arboretum and I was blown away by the variety and selection of landscapes and arranged greenery. So it was great to visit it again and... More

Spring 2013 in Washington DC is famous for the Cherry Blossoms, but there were no crowds at the US National Arboretum for a leisurely walk through the almost 5 acres of blooming azaleas and rhododendrons in late April early May. The arboretum was a highlight of my many visits to the Nations Capitol over my lifetime as a Washingtonian. How... More

OK I like the Arboretum so much I have anotated the map. Its is the third best large tourist site in Washington after the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetary IMHO. Its only 10 minutes and 2.2 miles from Capitol and yet relatively few people venture there. There are almost 500 acres and 6 miles of roads to explore so... More

Finally made my first trip to the National Arboretum. This place definitely requires a car, plus a willingness to do some walking across the huge property, and an acceptance that you just can't see it all in one visit. I rented a zipcar for a few hours and was so glad I did that instead of a taxi. It meant... More

My wife and I recently visited the National Arboretum to check out the Bonsai trees. They were amazing! But the park offers green thumbs and bird lovers much more. There is a beautiful herb garden adjacent to the Bonsai exhibit that has hundreds of different herbs on display - many of them include a "touch me" sign, asking visitors to... More

The National Arboretum is not all that easy to get to. It's way out on New York Avenue. You need a car to get there. However, it's worth the trip. The real jewel here is the bonsai tree collection. It's magnificent. One negative: they (the federal government, of course) prohibit ball playing, frisbee throwing, basically anything fun, on the vast... More

I love the Arboretum,. but we used to come for an Easter egg hunt, but was informed on our last visit that we could not partake in this event anymore. The part has no area for activities of this nature. I understand it is a park for plants and agriculture, but we need an area in the park for the... More

Don't bother going here in winter or early spring, as there isn't much to see. We visited the park the first week of April, so early spring (DC is having a very cold spring this year, so flowers/tree leaves are coming out very late). To be honest, there wasn't much to see. Trees were still bare, hardly any flowers (seemed... More

Great spot for a walk, run or just exploring with grounds. Truly a special place right in DC. Besides the beautiful collection of trees, shrubs and flowers be sure to see a spectacular view of the monuments from the highest vantage point in DC. Literally. You are above the Washington Monument, Capitol, etc and the vistas are stunning. "Hidden" on... More