photo by Valerie Brown
Just across Independence Avenue from the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory is a favorite "secret" garden of many Washingtonians. Bartholdi Park is a two-acre garden that showcases innovative plant combinations in a variety of styles and design themes.
It serves as a demonstration garden where visitors can learn to apply the latest horticultural techniques to their home landscapes. The plantings are constantly updated to showcase new varieties, design trends and garden maintenance methods.
In warm weather, enjoy the centerpiece of the Park, the "Fountain of Light and Water," commonly called the Bartholdi Fountain. This cast-iron fountain weighs more than 15 tons and stands 30 feet tall. The lights surrounding its basin are illuminated at night.
Bartholdi Park is a refuge from the stresses of the city. Secluded benches offer quiet shade in the summer and sheltered sunlight in the winter. Every type of plant is represented in the Park - deciduous trees, evergreens, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vines, ground covers, roses and bulbs. In every season, the colors and textures of the plants and flowers are exhilarating.
Bartholdi Park is being redesigned as a Sustainable Sites Initiative(tm) pilot project. It will include a demonstration garden for homeowners. The focus will be on different garden styles and plant options that all can be achieved using SITES guidelines. Each demonstration will be a synergistic solution for dynamic and holistic systems that can be interpreted for the home gardener, helping improve garden design and maintenance practices nationwide.
