Capitol Trees

Despite all the bickering and general dysfunction in Washington, DC, there are a lot of things that our federal government has done right. The design and the general visitor friendliness of the city are among them. My wife and I arrived in Washington after spending several days in New York City. The differences are striking. Comparatively, Washington seems so wide open, orderly, and quiet. And at least in the areas where most tourists go, practically everything is free. (Yes, I know that my taxes support it all.) It truly feels like a place that belongs to the citizens.

I took a Sunday morning stroll on this trip and found something new to love about the city, the grounds on the east side of the Capitol. The iconic view is on the west side overlooking the Mall. On my walk, however, I was pleased to discover that the "back side" of the Capitol includes an arboretum with both botanical and historical interest.

The Capitol grounds were designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted upon receiving a commission in 1874. As I walked the grounds, I wondered which trees were already on site when Olmsted began his work and which were planted at his direction. Many trees have been added to recognize species or even specific trees that symbolize states across the nation.

Florida was represented by a bald cypress, the progeny of our state champion, "The Senator." It was planted by former Senator and Governor Lawton Chiles in 1988. It's not in the best location, but hasn't fared too badly considering the significant change in latitude it has had to deal with. The award for the worst example of offsite planting goes to the giant redwood (Sequoia gigantea) planted nearby.

On the afternoon of our flight home we had just enough time to visit another of my favorite DC attractions, the U.S. Botanical Garden. I particularly remembered the orchid exhibit and enjoyed it just as much on this trip. A new highlight for me was the collection of replicas of Washington buildings and monuments. The delightful twist is that they are each made of leaves, bark, and sticks. Considering the materials, the detail of these models is phenomenal. I could have explored the gardens for days, but when I saw the specimens of the Florida torreya (Torreya taxifolia) and the Florida yew (Taxus floridana), I knew it was time to head for home.