Last Sunday was National Gardening Day. Now with Earth Day upon us and Arbor Day only a week away, it has many folks thinking a bit more about plants, nature, trees, and conservation practices in general. That’s a good thing considering how all of the above are far more crucial to our everyday lives than most tend to realize. Fortunately, though, there exist today many great establishments dedicated to the preservation of nature and the study and maintenance of ecological and environmental efforts across the board. One such establishment is the United States National Arboretum. For this Flashback Friday Feature, I’m highlighting the history behind the National Arboretum’s founding along with offering a brief overview of some of its most unique featured callouts as both an area attraction and a crucial key player in tree conservation.
By its most basic definition, an arboretum is a botanical garden or collection(s) of trees and/or other plant species contained within a large surrounding area. The compilation typically comprises non-native or rare transports (sometimes even those that are endangered). Most species contained in a single collection have been brought together specifically for preservation or study purposes.
The earliest arboretums on record can be traced back to ancient Egypt when it was not unheard of for pharaohs to transplant and replant exotic trees from regions far and wide. They paid careful attention to the upkeep and tending of these trees so that they would continue to thrive in an all-new environment. Some of their popular picks for tree transplants included ebony wood from Sudan and cedar and pine from Syria.
In his writings, Marco Polo even penned his admiration of various collected specimens of evergreen trees by Kublai Khan throughout the Mongol Empire. This is yet again another indicator of early arboretums having existed historically throughout the late 13th century.
Even before New World colonization, plant and gardening techniques have been forever ingrained into the American framework. Within the District of Columbia specifically, you had many callouts predating the actual creation of the United States National Arboretum. One includes the now-famous United States Botanic Garden, which opened in 1850 but was conceptualized by Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison as early as the late 1700s.
Though the idea was floated as early as the 19th century, it wasn’t until 1927 that the official establishment of the United States National Arboretum came about. It was done by an act of Congress following a campaign by Frederick Vernon Coville—the then-chief botanist of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) who went on to serve as the Arboretum’s very first director.
The site that the National Arboretum was set to be built on was formerly known as Mount Hamilton. Not only was the terrain here ideal but the absence of any preexisting permanent buildings added to its premium potential.
The actual construction of the Arboretum was not funded. However, 10 months following its completion, President Calvin Coolidge authorized an appropriation of $300,000 towards it. This resulted in site expansions that included the purchase of an additional 189 acres of land in 1928, followed by 196 more acres in 1934. The years 1938, 1948, and 1949 brought about even more land acquisitions.
In addition to the previously mentioned land expansions, various buildings were eventually constructed onsite. Five greenhouses were added in 1962 with the main administration building following two years later. It was designed by the renowned modernist architectural firm of Deigert and Yerke. They even earned an award from the American Institute of Architects for this.
As of April 11, 1973, the National Arboretum has been added to the National Register of Historic Places as a Category II Landmark for its “importance which contributes significantly to the cultural heritage and visual beauty of the District of Columbia.”
The National Arboretum today spans 451 acres along the coast of D.C.’s scenic Anacostia River and features connecting roadways that range a grand total of 9.5 miles. Entrances to the site can be found at both New York Avenue, N.E., and R Street, N.E.
The vast garden collection houses thousands of different plant varieties, including but not limited to azaleas, Asian plant specimens, hollies, flowering trees, and slow-growing conifers. The rightly named Introduction Garden is a great place to begin your journey. Then, there is the amicably warm Friendship Garden and Arbor House. The Washington Youth Garden makes for another charming stop, along with the National Herb Garden, and several others. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum presents another must-see as does the wondrous display among the National Grove of State Trees.
In addition to live plants, the National Arboretum features a host of other stellar architectural highlights. The National Capitol Columns, a set of 22 Corinthian columns, were even once part of the East Portico of the United States Capitol building between 1828 and 1958. There’s even a small collection of public artwork on exhibit, along with a library and extensive herbarium comprising more than 800,000 different specimens of both wild and cultivated plant diversity.
Another sight to behold is the resident pair of bald eagles nesting on location here. Also, 2020 saw the return of the ever-popular koi to the reflecting pool located close to the administration building.
The National Arboretum serves several multifaceted functions. In addition to being a major area attraction, it is used professionally as a botanical research area. It is administered by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Arboretum continues to uphold its ongoing mission for which it was established. That mission is to foster an awareness of “the economic, environmental, and aesthetic value of ornamental and landscape plants through long-term, multi-disciplinary research, conservation of genetic resources, and interpretative gardens and exhibits.”
In addition to featuring dazzling displays and a host of onsite callouts, you’ll find a range of ongoing events and programs taking place here at various times throughout the year. Coming up on Saturday, April 27, for instance, the Arboretum will play host to a Garden Fair & Plant Sale between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Learn more about this and other events via the Friends of the National Arboretum website link.
Every year the United States National Arboretum draws in more than 650,000 visitors. Consider experiencing it for yourself if you have never done so before. You’ll find the National Arboretum site address at 501 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002. Read more about the various collections and site features as well as all other general information by clicking here.