National Rose Garden

The U.S. Botanical Garden has a new National Garden of which the Margaret Hagedorn Rose Garden is part. Last Wednesday, I toured this new garden (as part of a group) with the USBG's Rosarian. The most striking thing was that there were no roses in bloom! The Rosarian was embarrassingly aware of this and said next year the tour would be in May (more appropriate).

I was interested in the layout of the garden and what had been chosen to plant with the roses, so the fact that the garden was not yet in bloom wasn't that big of a deal to me. Also, I'll be back next month for a tour of the National Garden itself and will get a chance to see the rose garden again.

Here are a couple of photos that show you the layout:



(It'll be even nicer when the pots get filled.)


The garden is named after the wife of the founder of Miracle-Gro, one of the major sponsors of the garden. Jackson & Perkins has named a rose for her and there are several in the garden. Most of the roses are own root (yea!) and the area is mulched with cocoa hulls from Hershey. They will not be spraying for Japanese Beetles as they try to be as organic as possible. I definitely will want to come back in summer to see how the garden manages. Part of their organic routine has been a spring feeding of sea kelp, cottonseed meal, alfalpha meal, milorganite, cockadoodledoo and epsom salt.

You can get a nice handout on the garden at the mailbox (just like at Longwood!). Among the things we learned was that President Reagan designated the National Flower in 1986 after the US Congress recommended it. The roses in the garden may change over time as any that don't make the grade will be replaced by something else. We were told it was their intent to have all classes of roses represented.

Planted with the roses were a number of herbs (thymes, sages, catmint, calamint, etc.), hardy geraniums, various groundcovers like Lithodora difusa 'Grace Ward' and Mazus reptans 'alba'. I was particularly interested in those as I have acquired both recently; however, I purchased a lavender Mazus (part of the Steppables line). The blue of the Lithodora difusa is so striking that I just had to try it. I learned at the Rose Garden that it needs sharp drainage.

Here are a couple things I wasn't familiar with that were planted in the garden:


This is Cudweed, Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'.

And, this is Cancer Weed, Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout'.


Lithodora difusa 'Grace Ward'

Something else new were the dwarf peonies that Klehm's Song Sparrow Nursery has introduced:


On the far wall, the flowers of each state are displayed in portraits made by children. Scotts Miracle-Gro sponsored a contest and these were the winning entries.



A most interesting one:



This is an area that has roses planted that it is hoped will cover the area. I saw Carolina Jessamine planted here also. (More empty pots...)


You can see how lovely it will all be when it is more established.

Here's an idea that we could all copy. Clematis have been planted behind the shrub roses.


Various types of thyme are planted between the pavers:



However the real stars right now in DC are the tulips:






Who can resist violas?




Across the street at Bartholdi Park (part of the USBG):


It's too bad signs like this are necessary:


Around the fountain, a gorgeous (and very patriotic) display:


Closer:


Tulips by the Capitol:


A last image, the Capitol in spring:


*****
All pictures are clickable.