Entry bubble Get a Dose of Summer in Winter: Visit a Botanical Garden

By: Jake | January 07, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

I can’t claim to have a green thumb, but it’s not due to lack of trying. I have successfully planted some houseplants including my hippopotamus chia pet, but my experience is limited since I don’t have a yard.

I know it’s probably too cold to think about gardening, but the topic has been on my mind ever since I visited the U.S. National Botanic Garden (USNB) last month. My parents were in town and my mom, who is a master gardener, wanted to spend some time looking at the holiday exhibit. While the holiday exhibit was impressive, I was struck by the sheer volume of the 4000 plants growing in  the garden year-round.  Also, the USNBG provides gardening tips and recipes.

There are thousands of botanical gardens around the world according to the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), a conservation organization that links botanical gardens worldwide in order to preserve and promote plant diversity. BGCI says that botanical gardens hold documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education.

It's very likely there is a botanical garden near you since there are hundreds of botanical gardens in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides various resources to find botanical gardens in the U.S. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, so you should check public visiting hours before you go.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: botanical   flowers   garden   gardening   plants