Colorful blooms and interesting stories.
Every year, the Smithsonian Gardens and United States Botanical Gardens co-host an orchid show. They feature hundreds of varieties in a different stunning display each year.
This year, the show is being held in the Kogod Courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery. Take time to visit the display between viewing exhibits like “Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue” or “America’s Presidents”.
Across eight different flower beds, you can see several hundred types of orchids. At the same time, you can learn about the women who have grown, created, and drawn them across the centuries.
One display talks about Gu Mei, a Chinese painter and poet famous for her orchid paintings. Another teaches you about Rebecca T. Northen, author of the book “Home Orchid Growing”. She’s called the “Julia Child of orchids” for how she demystified orchids and brought them into American homes.
There’s even a whole bed devoted to orchids named after women. Come see the two orchids named after First Ladies and the new hybrid named for Mary Vaux Walcott, an artist and naturalist.
The flowers themselves are always my favorite part. The variety of types and colors is astounding. Large orange flowers tower beside delicate yellow blossoms dangling along a long stem.
Take 10-15 minutes to see the orchids and take plenty of pictures. Then add a couple more minutes for the kids to splash in the water feature down the center of the courtyard (an allowed activity).
National Portrait Gallery is open Thursdays-Sundays, 11:30am-7pm
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