U.S. Botanical Garden

Last Sunday we went to D.C. for the Ride to the Wall and we got to see the new National Garden near the U.S. Capitol Building. Behind the National Garden and across the street from the U.S. Capitol grounds is the U.S. Botanical Garden. The glass enclosed part of the building has been totally redone in the last ten years. It has a tropical jungle room and a southwest desert room. The main building is used for seasonal exhibitions of plants or art and it has free public restrooms that are easily accessible to tourists. All the Smithsonian buildings require you to stop in line for a purse and bag search. Not so at the Botanical Garden building. You can breeze right into the building and restrooms here and we did. Afterwords we took in the sights in the tropical room and the desert room. The orchids growing on a wire along the glass ceiling were very pretty. Outside there are tables where you can have a drink or bite to eat. And a new exhibit showcased green ideas for living like having vegetation on your roof. The mayor of Chicago has had success doing this in downtown Chicago. Maybe I should start to grow vegetables on my roof. I don't think the homeowners' association would approve this venture. Besides I would probaly fall off the roof while pulling a weed out of the vegetable patch up there. Click on photos for closeups.