About Us

The National Botanic Garden is dedicated to providing a retreat from the stresses of daily life in a unique and whimsical atmosphere, combining  art, nature, education and research into a fascinating whole.  This is not an ordinary “garden”, starting out with its being the world’s largest constructed garden, equivalent to the Hoover Dam construction with the massive amount of material used. The vast majority of the materials used in the sculptures, the follies, the roadways, terraces and other constructions was obtained from reclaimed materials, and working with Nature, was carefully cultivated and constructed, with Nature “donating” probably half of the living plant material. And then there is the centerpiece of this world’s record garden construction, “Knop’s Mountain”, which is now the highest point of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the foothills of the Blue Ridge, from which one has a 360 degree view looking into 4 states. And finally there are the many follies, sculptures of steel, concrete and other materials to complement the natural beauty of Nature. And not to forget the plants where much research is ongoing in help our natives where possible, while finding new plants which can take their place as climate change forces some of them northwards or eliminates them. 

We look forward to your visit!

Water is key to life - and beautiful as well. The lakes, with over 50 islands, have many varieties of fish which support many birds, from the Bald eagle to Cormorants, great blue herons and many of our smaller feathered friends, not to mention a large selection of geese and ducks, 5 miles of shores, warm shallow water and cold deep springs.

Many parts of the United States are facing water shortages, and even areas on the east coast have been known to have water restrictions in the past, therefore the need for new approaches to gardening.  On the one hand, deserts are often thought of as barren and not very interesting places (other than to the scientists), while gardens are thought of as peaceful and colorful places to relax and enjoy nature, flowers and fresh air. The National Botanic Garden has spent the last fifteen years studying plants which require little or no water, are hardy in the mid-Atlantic region and provide the pleasures of a traditional garden. In this process a wonderful discovery was made - xeric gardens properly constructed require almost no maintenance - no more lawn mowing, almost no weeding ever, and of course no watering, even in the driest of times! One advantage/disadvantage of such gardens though is the lack of shade.