Trip to the National Arboretum

One of my most favorite things to visit and bring people to is the National Arboretum.  This 446 acre park in the middle of NE DC is a tucked away gem which many tourists and locals never see.  Each season brings something different.  The spring has the azaleas, the summer has wild flowers and her gardens and the fall has great autumn foliage.  Unfortunately there is not much going on during the winter, but we did see the original US Capitol columns.

The columns were built in 1828 to support the original dome of the East Portico.  When the new dome was completed in 1864 the columns looked too small to support the new dome; they were not replaced until 1958.  Long story, short the columns made it to the arboretum in 1984.  Head over to the National Arboretum website to learn more about their history.  

My mother has gotten very into selfie photos.  The unfortunate part is the three of us have short arms and the person taking the picture ends up having a smooshed face.  This time it was my turn.  

While most of the arboretum was still dormant, the Bonsai & Penjing Museum was in full bloom.  In fact it is home to one of the largest bonsai and penjing collections in North America.  Upon entering, visitors are reminded that this art form was created over a thousand years ago by artists who were inspired to recreate mountains, trees and horizons. 

Here is one bonsai tree we saw in the collection.  Interestingly enough plants are left out in the winter weather and are only protected by a roof from snow and ice which can damage the branches. 

Here is a good example of a penjing or tray landscapes. 

 And of course we have Elise pondering a bonsai tree which has been in training since 1795.

After about 15 minutes we walked through the entire exhibit and got one last photo from the trip.