Visiting Washington, D.C. # 1 - Plants

I’m still slowly writing my next book. Two houses to clean out after the death of my 100-year-old mother-in-law and a graduate credit I’m working on has infringed on my time.

The college course through Learner’s Edge has been a blast. I had to spend eleven hours visiting sites in Washington, D.C. and write a journal including some educational ideas on how to use them. I met two wonderful ladies on the bus and am going back to Washington soon with one of them.

There are many planted walkways and special gardens near the Smithsonian Mall. If you love plants or are teaching about them, I suggest a trip to Washington. Check out the United States Botanical Garden website before you plan your trip and print out a map of the gardens.

Here is a shortened version of part of my trip and my corresponding activities.

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Walking down Seventh Street from the National Archives Building near the Smithsonian Mall, I found heart-leafed aster. Love nest sundew, I spotted in the garden beside the conservatory among the other carnivorous plants. Downy pagoda-plant nestled beyond the bridge in the same garden. What beautiful names for plants!

----Learn some genera before you go and see if you can find one or two species of each genus.

---- Alphabetize your list to make them easier to find.

----Take a notebook and write down your favorites.

---- Take pictures of your favorites. Here are a few of the pictures I took. 

 

How about this huge planter? 

Pinus palustris, longleaf pine

 ----Think about planning a garden of your own as you walk. You can tell if the species will grow in your region by the information on the placard beside each plant.

----After your visit, match the pictures to the names in your notebook. Look up the names online if you can’t remember which is which.

----Draw a picture of your planned garden.

----Look up prices online and find out how much it would cost.

----Order your plants, fertilizer, and a pair of garden gloves next spring.

----Get to work!

P.S. This family let me take their picture. They were already posed on the tree when I walked past.