United States Botanic Garden
Encyclopedia
The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a botanic garden
on the grounds of the United States Capitol
in Washington, D.C.
, near Garfield Circle
.
The Botanic Garden is supervised by the Congress
through the Architect of the Capitol
, who is responsible for maintaining the grounds of the United States Capitol. The USBG is open every day of the year, including federal holiday
s. It is the oldest continually operating botanic garden in the United States
.
in Washington, D.C.
, first suggested the creation of the Botanic Garden in 1816. The idea of establishing a botanic garden in Washington, D.C.
, was also supported by the Washington Botanical Society, organized in 1817, many of whose members were also members of the Columbian Institute, however this society disbanded in 1826.
In 1820, President James Monroe
set aside 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) for a "national greenhouse." Dr. Edward Cutbush, founder and first president of the Columbian Institute, was one of the earliest crusaders for a plant repository and saw the necessity for a botanical garden "where various seeds and plants could be cultivated, and, as they multiplied, distributed to other parts of the Union."
The tract, which was swamp land, was located next to the Smithsonian Museum and a mere eighty feet from the steps of the Capitol. The land was situated between First and Third streets and Pennsylvania and Maryland avenues on the east side of the Capitol building. It was originally owned by David Burnes, the Scots farmer who owned much of the site of the city of Washington. He had been warned in 1796 that if he chose to plant crops "on the avenue and the Mall", it was at his own risk as something might be done "almost any time" to make a thoroughfare.
It is probable that Thomas Jefferson
was the first influential person who took an interest in cleaning up the brush that covered the land. By 1810, some rows of Lombardy poplars had been planted, however, the avenue itself "was too much of a morass" to be traversed on horseback.
On May 26, 1824, the grounds were extended and in 1825, they were enclosed. "There seems to be no record of what improvements or plantings were made by the Columbian Institute. The institute had expended $1,500 on the grounds for walks and plantings and had asked Congress to be reimbursed, but this request was not granted."
Although the membership roster of the Columbian Institution included many distinguished citizens and several presidents, they were unable to raise money for the greenhouse and lecture hall. Meetings were held in a variety of temporary offices, including a committee room in the capitol building that Congress granted use of on December 20, 1828.
Despite all the hardships, the Institute quickly launched an enthusiastic effort to collect plants and seeds. In 1826, a committee was appointed to meet with heads of government departments to help solicit "all subjects of natural history that may be deemed interesting" from foreign representatives. The following year, Secretary of the Treasury, Richard Rush
was also involved in the solicitation by circulating a letter to foreign dignitaries." In the letter he stated that President John Quincy Adams
was "desirous of causing to be introduced into the United States all such trees and plants from other countries not heretofore known in the United States, as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing and becoming useful...."
The publicity was extremely successful. Plants and seeds made their way to the Institute from as far away as China and Brazil. Some came from areas nearby, such as Montgomery County in Maryland. In 1824, a List of Plants in the Botanic Garden of the Columbian Institute was prepared by William Elliot. The pamphlet mentioned more than 458 plants growing at that time.
Sixteen years passed and by 1836, no further improvements had been made on the property. "The tract was a stagnant and malarial swamp and Congress was prevailed upon to make an appropriation of $5,000 for improvements." The funds were used to drain the site and erect a fountain.
Financial woes continued to plague the Institute, and there was "never enough money from contributions for proper maintenance of the garden and plant
collections." The facility ceased to operate in 1837 when the society stopped holding meetings. However it was re-instituted in 1842 when the Wilkes expedition of the South Seas
brought back a collection of plants.
set out on the United States Exploring Expedition
commissioned by Congress to circumnavigate
the globe and explore the Pacific Ocean
. Between the years 1838–1842, the expedition, consisting of six government ships, traveled 87,000 miles and collected a large assortment of horticultural and botanical specimens. These formed the nucleus of the present garden. The expedition also confirmed that Antarctica was a continent.
The staff included a botanist, W. D. Breckenridge who brought back a large collection of specimens, including seeds and cuttings.
Because the garden was situated in a swamp, early attempts at cultivation were not successful, however, during 1842; a revival was made after the Wilkes Expedition brought many rare plants to Washington from the Fiji, Sandwich and Society Islands, New Zealand and South America.
During this trip, Wilkes collected live and dried specimen
s of plant
s and was one of the first to use wardian case
s to maintain live plants on long voyages. Members of the expedition returned with a massive collection of plants previously unknown in the United States
.
The dried specimens comprised the core of what is now the National Herbarium, an herbarium
curated by the Smithsonian Institution's
National Museum of Natural History
.
The live Wilkes specimens and seed
s "were transferred successively to frames in 1844 and to the Old Patent Office greenhouse, the first building on the site, where they remained until 1850. At that time, a botanic garden was built to house the collection in front of the Capitol, where the reflecting pool
is now located. They were moved again in 1934.
The very tract of land the Botanical Garden of the Columbian Institute occupied, became the site of the United States Botanic Garden, established in 1850, thirteen years after the demise of the institute.
In 1867, Congress provided money for the construction of the first greenhouses. The main conservatory building was erected, 30 feet long with a dome 60 feet high.
Several historic trees stood on the site including the Crittenden Oak which marks the spot where John J. Crittenden
made an address in an effort to avert the Civil War. Also, the Beck-Washington Elm was a scion of an elm earlier planted by Washington himself. A plane tree which Thaddeus Stevens
brought from the Vale of Cashmere, a sycamore planted by Senator Daniel Voorhees and a Chinese oak from the grave of Confucius, two cedars of Lebanon, and several others that have historic associations.
The Bartholdl Fountain, the work of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the same sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty
in New York Harbor stood in a central site in the gardens, however, it was placed in storage for several years to make way for the memorial to General Meade, the hero of Gettysburg.
The garden "was formally placed under the jurisdiction of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress in 1856 and has been administered through the Office of the Architect of the Capitol since 1934. The Architect of the Capitol has served as Acting Director of the United States Botanic Garden and is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Garden and for any construction, changes, or improvements made."
A discussion about moving the garden began in Congress in August, 1922. "It appears likely that the public features of the present garden will be transferred from the west side of the Capitol to the north side and that a new botanic garden and arboretum on an adequate scale will be established not far from the Capitol."
The site of the original garden was fewer than 13 acres (52,609.2 m²), in comparison to the famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, which had 288 acres (1.2 km²). The garden in Berlin, Germany, has over 1325 acres (5.4 km²) and was established at a cost of over $4,000,000. In comparison, $1,416,748 was spent on the garden in Washington between the years 1842–1922. This included the original appropriation for the Wilkes expedition.
Senate resolution 165 was passed and a committee was formed to review the acquisition of a new site. Lieut. Col. Clarence O. Sherrill, Corps of Engineers, secretary and executive officer of the fine arts commission, compiled a report on the garden.
It was felt that the botanic garden must be removed because when Congress established the location of the Grant Memorial in the garden-area, technically, it forced the garden out. "Such was the intention of Congress."
The action was entirely logical. That space was designed by President George Washington
and Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant
as an open approach to the Capitol, which is shown on the original plan to the city. "It was proposed at that time that this area should be subject to ornamentation with memorials, foundations, and the like, but not shut off by walls and fences. Locating the Botanic Garden in this area was one of those serious mistakes made in the early part of the century whereby the great plan for the Nation's Capital suffered damage that has continued to this day."
Sherrill's report pointed out that the goal of Congress was to restore the Mall to its original status as a park connection between the legislative and executive departments. Congress had paid the Pennsylvania Railroad $1,500,000 to remove its tracks from the Mall. "The new National Museum Building, the Agriculture Department buildings, and the gallery for the Freer collections all have been located with reference in the general plan. Slowly, but steadily, changes in conformity with that plan are now being carried out throughout the entire 2½ miles from the Capitol Grounds to the Lincoln Memorial. The removal of the Botanic Garden is essential to the development of the great composition."
"If Congress desires to continue a garden for the purpose of obtaining flowers for its members and for growing shrubs to disseminate throughout the country, both of these purposes can be subserved quite as well by glass houses and gardens in other accessible locations."
It was also felt that the new location would provide enlargement of the Capitol Grounds on the north which affords an area for gardens of great beauty and distinction "through which will pass all visitors to Washington and a large proportion of those persons who daily go to the Capitol and Library of Congress." The old location was seen as assessable to only "an insignificant fraction of visitors or residents" and that the removal of the garden from the west side of the Capitol to the north side made the features of the garden more available.
An exhaustive search was made of several areas available for garden purposes and Mount Hamilton, a privately owned site, was chosen. The tract fronted the Anacostia River and carried a variety of soils in such condition that "very little preparation for the uses of a botanic garden would be needed and very little grading other than that required for roads."
The tract had north, south, east and west slopes and a level area on Hickey Road that would work well for greenhouses and herbaceous gardens, while the other sloped areas would be ideal for shrub and small flowering-tree arboretum uses. The entire area contained about 400 acres (1.6 km²) and would "afford an entrance to Washington of unequaled beauty."
In the future, it was felt that the garden could be expanded by "that portion of the park between the Pennsylvania Railroad and Benning Bridge contains about 563 acres, lowland and water, thus furnishing ample opportunity for expansion on land not subject to overflow for lowland and fresh-water exhibits."
The Commission of Fine Art made recommendation that the Mount Hamilton tract be acquired for a national botanic garden and arboretum; by purchasing 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land, at least 800 acres (3.2 km²) of Government-owned lands will be made available. Also, a park entrance to the city from the north will be provided. Additionally, the public features of the "present" Botanic Garden be transferred from the west side of the Capitol to the north side to lands already owned by the Government.
, includes greenhouse bays and a support facility for the garden. The U.S. Botanic Garden Production Facility, covers 85000 square feet (7,896.8 m²) under glass, and is the largest support facility for a botanic garden in the United States. It houses collections currently not on display, including plants recuperating. Seasonal plants are also grown at the facility for use in the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and for replenishing the Capitol grounds. An estimated 100,000 mums, pansies, cabbage, kale and other annuals and perennials per year are grown in the facility. Additionally, foliage plants for the Senate offices and palm trees for Capitol Hill events as well as special seasonal displays such as Easter lilies and poinsettias are all grown on site. "According to staff botanists, there are about 50,000 plants on hand at the production facility at any one time.
The national monument was closed for renovation
s on September 1, 1997, and reopened to the public on December 11, 2001. At the time of closure for renovation, plants in the collection were placed in storage at the USBG Production Facility, retired to greenhouses in Florida
, or composted.
The USBG proper consists of three locations: the Conservatory, Bartholdi Park, and the Production Facility.
The historic Lord & Burnham
greenhouse
, built by the Architect of the Capitol in 1933, contains eight garden rooms under glass, totaling 28944 square feet (2,689 m²) of growing space. In 2001, the Conservatory re-opened after a four-year renovation that required it to be completely dismantled and rebuilt using 21st century building standards. The Conservatory is divided into separate rooms, each simulating a unique habitat
:
Except for the Hawaiian house, the galleries, and south lobby, none of the conservatory has air conditioning
. Each room is closely monitored by a computer-operated sensors to maintain the environment best suited to the plants in that room. Humidity
, sunlight
and temperature
are regulated by means of a misting system, retractable shades and levered windows. All plants are watered daily by hand. Construction was completed on the 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) National Garden on the Botanic Garden's west border, in October 2006 and the garden includes a regional garden of plants native to the Atlantic Coastal Plain
and Piedmont, a rose garden
, a butterfly garden
, and the First Ladies Water Garden, a water garden
in memory of the First Ladies of the United States
.The National Garden construction was funded by the National Fund for the U.S. Botanic Garden which now exists as a 'friends group'.
Bartholdi Park lies just south of the Conservatory, across Independence Avenue. It is named for the Bartholdi Fountain
in the garden's center designed by Frédéric Bartholdi
. One of the goals of this garden is to provide inspiration and ideas for home gardeners who visit it. It displays a variety of small structured and non-structured gardens, and infuses color, shape, and planting themes. One section of the garden is certified as a National Wildlife Federation
Backyard Wildlife Habitat. The Park also houses the administrative building for the United States Botanic Garden.
The Production Facility in southwest D.C. is used for growing and storing plants for propagation
, for collection maintenance, or for display in upcoming annual shows.
The USBG participates in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which means that it cares for plants seized by Customs
. It specializes in orchids and succulents.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
on the grounds of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, near Garfield Circle
Garfield Circle
Garfield Circle is a traffic circle at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and First Street in Southwest Washington, D.C. The circle is located adjacent to the Capitol Reflection Pool, the Capitol Building Tours Ticket Booth, and the United States Botanic Garden....
.
The Botanic Garden is supervised by the Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
through the Architect of the Capitol
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is responsible to the United States...
, who is responsible for maintaining the grounds of the United States Capitol. The USBG is open every day of the year, including federal holiday
Federal holiday
In the United States, a federal holiday is a public holiday recognized by the United States federal government. Non-essential federal government offices are closed...
s. It is the oldest continually operating botanic garden in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and SciencesColumbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences
The Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences was a literary and science institution in Washington, D.C., founded by Dr. Edward Cutbush , a naval surgeon...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, first suggested the creation of the Botanic Garden in 1816. The idea of establishing a botanic garden in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, was also supported by the Washington Botanical Society, organized in 1817, many of whose members were also members of the Columbian Institute, however this society disbanded in 1826.
In 1820, President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
set aside 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) for a "national greenhouse." Dr. Edward Cutbush, founder and first president of the Columbian Institute, was one of the earliest crusaders for a plant repository and saw the necessity for a botanical garden "where various seeds and plants could be cultivated, and, as they multiplied, distributed to other parts of the Union."
The tract, which was swamp land, was located next to the Smithsonian Museum and a mere eighty feet from the steps of the Capitol. The land was situated between First and Third streets and Pennsylvania and Maryland avenues on the east side of the Capitol building. It was originally owned by David Burnes, the Scots farmer who owned much of the site of the city of Washington. He had been warned in 1796 that if he chose to plant crops "on the avenue and the Mall", it was at his own risk as something might be done "almost any time" to make a thoroughfare.
It is probable that Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
was the first influential person who took an interest in cleaning up the brush that covered the land. By 1810, some rows of Lombardy poplars had been planted, however, the avenue itself "was too much of a morass" to be traversed on horseback.
Botanic Garden of the Columbian Institute
One of the greatest accomplishments of the institution was the creation of a botanic garden in 1821. "By the end of 1823 the swampy tract of land granted by Congress had been drained and leveled, an elliptical pond with an island at its center constructed, and four graveled walks laid out. Trees and shrubs were planted, and the garden was maintained as well as scanty funds would permit until the institute expired in 1837, one year before the termination of its charter."On May 26, 1824, the grounds were extended and in 1825, they were enclosed. "There seems to be no record of what improvements or plantings were made by the Columbian Institute. The institute had expended $1,500 on the grounds for walks and plantings and had asked Congress to be reimbursed, but this request was not granted."
Although the membership roster of the Columbian Institution included many distinguished citizens and several presidents, they were unable to raise money for the greenhouse and lecture hall. Meetings were held in a variety of temporary offices, including a committee room in the capitol building that Congress granted use of on December 20, 1828.
Despite all the hardships, the Institute quickly launched an enthusiastic effort to collect plants and seeds. In 1826, a committee was appointed to meet with heads of government departments to help solicit "all subjects of natural history that may be deemed interesting" from foreign representatives. The following year, Secretary of the Treasury, Richard Rush
Richard Rush
Richard Rush was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the second son of Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and Julia Rush. He entered the College of New Jersey at the age of 14, and graduated in 1797 as the youngest member of his class...
was also involved in the solicitation by circulating a letter to foreign dignitaries." In the letter he stated that President John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
was "desirous of causing to be introduced into the United States all such trees and plants from other countries not heretofore known in the United States, as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing and becoming useful...."
The publicity was extremely successful. Plants and seeds made their way to the Institute from as far away as China and Brazil. Some came from areas nearby, such as Montgomery County in Maryland. In 1824, a List of Plants in the Botanic Garden of the Columbian Institute was prepared by William Elliot. The pamphlet mentioned more than 458 plants growing at that time.
Sixteen years passed and by 1836, no further improvements had been made on the property. "The tract was a stagnant and malarial swamp and Congress was prevailed upon to make an appropriation of $5,000 for improvements." The funds were used to drain the site and erect a fountain.
Financial woes continued to plague the Institute, and there was "never enough money from contributions for proper maintenance of the garden and plant
collections." The facility ceased to operate in 1837 when the society stopped holding meetings. However it was re-instituted in 1842 when the Wilkes expedition of the South Seas
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
brought back a collection of plants.
Wilkes exploring and surveying expedition
In 1838, Lt. Charles WilkesCharles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 and commanded the ship in the Trent Affair during the American Civil War...
set out on the United States Exploring Expedition
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
commissioned by Congress to circumnavigate
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
the globe and explore the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Between the years 1838–1842, the expedition, consisting of six government ships, traveled 87,000 miles and collected a large assortment of horticultural and botanical specimens. These formed the nucleus of the present garden. The expedition also confirmed that Antarctica was a continent.
The staff included a botanist, W. D. Breckenridge who brought back a large collection of specimens, including seeds and cuttings.
Because the garden was situated in a swamp, early attempts at cultivation were not successful, however, during 1842; a revival was made after the Wilkes Expedition brought many rare plants to Washington from the Fiji, Sandwich and Society Islands, New Zealand and South America.
During this trip, Wilkes collected live and dried specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
s of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s and was one of the first to use wardian case
Wardian case
The Wardian case, was an early type of sealed protective container for plants, which found great use in the 19th Century in protecting foreign plants imported to Europe from overseas, the great majority of which had previously died from exposure during long sea journeys, frustrating the many...
s to maintain live plants on long voyages. Members of the expedition returned with a massive collection of plants previously unknown in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The dried specimens comprised the core of what is now the National Herbarium, an herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
curated by the Smithsonian Institution's
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
.
The live Wilkes specimens and seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s "were transferred successively to frames in 1844 and to the Old Patent Office greenhouse, the first building on the site, where they remained until 1850. At that time, a botanic garden was built to house the collection in front of the Capitol, where the reflecting pool
Reflecting pool
A reflecting pool or reflection pool is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and at memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a calm reflective...
is now located. They were moved again in 1934.
U.S. Botanic Garden
In 1867, Congress provided money for the construction of the first greenhouses. The main conservatory building was erected, 30 feet long with a dome 60 feet high.
Several historic trees stood on the site including the Crittenden Oak which marks the spot where John J. Crittenden
John J. Crittenden
John Jordan Crittenden was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and twice served as United States Attorney General in the administrations of William Henry Harrison and Millard Fillmore...
made an address in an effort to avert the Civil War. Also, the Beck-Washington Elm was a scion of an elm earlier planted by Washington himself. A plane tree which Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...
brought from the Vale of Cashmere, a sycamore planted by Senator Daniel Voorhees and a Chinese oak from the grave of Confucius, two cedars of Lebanon, and several others that have historic associations.
The Bartholdl Fountain, the work of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the same sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
in New York Harbor stood in a central site in the gardens, however, it was placed in storage for several years to make way for the memorial to General Meade, the hero of Gettysburg.
The garden "was formally placed under the jurisdiction of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress in 1856 and has been administered through the Office of the Architect of the Capitol since 1934. The Architect of the Capitol has served as Acting Director of the United States Botanic Garden and is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Garden and for any construction, changes, or improvements made."
Talk of expansion and move
The site of the original garden was fewer than 13 acres (52,609.2 m²), in comparison to the famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, which had 288 acres (1.2 km²). The garden in Berlin, Germany, has over 1325 acres (5.4 km²) and was established at a cost of over $4,000,000. In comparison, $1,416,748 was spent on the garden in Washington between the years 1842–1922. This included the original appropriation for the Wilkes expedition.
Senate resolution 165 was passed and a committee was formed to review the acquisition of a new site. Lieut. Col. Clarence O. Sherrill, Corps of Engineers, secretary and executive officer of the fine arts commission, compiled a report on the garden.
It was felt that the botanic garden must be removed because when Congress established the location of the Grant Memorial in the garden-area, technically, it forced the garden out. "Such was the intention of Congress."
The action was entirely logical. That space was designed by President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant
Pierre Charles L'Enfant
Pierre Charles L'Enfant was a French-born American architect and civil engineer best known for designing the layout of the streets of Washington, D.C..-Early life:...
as an open approach to the Capitol, which is shown on the original plan to the city. "It was proposed at that time that this area should be subject to ornamentation with memorials, foundations, and the like, but not shut off by walls and fences. Locating the Botanic Garden in this area was one of those serious mistakes made in the early part of the century whereby the great plan for the Nation's Capital suffered damage that has continued to this day."
Sherrill's report pointed out that the goal of Congress was to restore the Mall to its original status as a park connection between the legislative and executive departments. Congress had paid the Pennsylvania Railroad $1,500,000 to remove its tracks from the Mall. "The new National Museum Building, the Agriculture Department buildings, and the gallery for the Freer collections all have been located with reference in the general plan. Slowly, but steadily, changes in conformity with that plan are now being carried out throughout the entire 2½ miles from the Capitol Grounds to the Lincoln Memorial. The removal of the Botanic Garden is essential to the development of the great composition."
"If Congress desires to continue a garden for the purpose of obtaining flowers for its members and for growing shrubs to disseminate throughout the country, both of these purposes can be subserved quite as well by glass houses and gardens in other accessible locations."
It was also felt that the new location would provide enlargement of the Capitol Grounds on the north which affords an area for gardens of great beauty and distinction "through which will pass all visitors to Washington and a large proportion of those persons who daily go to the Capitol and Library of Congress." The old location was seen as assessable to only "an insignificant fraction of visitors or residents" and that the removal of the garden from the west side of the Capitol to the north side made the features of the garden more available.
An exhaustive search was made of several areas available for garden purposes and Mount Hamilton, a privately owned site, was chosen. The tract fronted the Anacostia River and carried a variety of soils in such condition that "very little preparation for the uses of a botanic garden would be needed and very little grading other than that required for roads."
The tract had north, south, east and west slopes and a level area on Hickey Road that would work well for greenhouses and herbaceous gardens, while the other sloped areas would be ideal for shrub and small flowering-tree arboretum uses. The entire area contained about 400 acres (1.6 km²) and would "afford an entrance to Washington of unequaled beauty."
In the future, it was felt that the garden could be expanded by "that portion of the park between the Pennsylvania Railroad and Benning Bridge contains about 563 acres, lowland and water, thus furnishing ample opportunity for expansion on land not subject to overflow for lowland and fresh-water exhibits."
The Commission of Fine Art made recommendation that the Mount Hamilton tract be acquired for a national botanic garden and arboretum; by purchasing 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land, at least 800 acres (3.2 km²) of Government-owned lands will be made available. Also, a park entrance to the city from the north will be provided. Additionally, the public features of the "present" Botanic Garden be transferred from the west side of the Capitol to the north side to lands already owned by the Government.
New location
In 1933, the main building was moved to its present location on the National Mall, just to the southwest of the Capitol, bordered by Maryland Avenue on the north, First Street on the east, Independence Avenue on the south, and Third Street on the west. The facility includes a conservatory and 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of outside grounds. Directly across Independence Avenue is Bartholdi Park, an outdoor display area, and an administration building. Located on 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) west of the conservatory and opened to the public on October 1, 2006, the National Garden provides living laboratories for environmental, horticultural, and botanical education. The major features of the National Garden are the Rose Garden, the Butterfly Garden, the Lawn Terrace, the First Ladies' Water Garden, the Regional Garden, and an outdoor amphitheater.Plant production facility
A plant production facility in Anacostia, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, includes greenhouse bays and a support facility for the garden. The U.S. Botanic Garden Production Facility, covers 85000 square feet (7,896.8 m²) under glass, and is the largest support facility for a botanic garden in the United States. It houses collections currently not on display, including plants recuperating. Seasonal plants are also grown at the facility for use in the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and for replenishing the Capitol grounds. An estimated 100,000 mums, pansies, cabbage, kale and other annuals and perennials per year are grown in the facility. Additionally, foliage plants for the Senate offices and palm trees for Capitol Hill events as well as special seasonal displays such as Easter lilies and poinsettias are all grown on site. "According to staff botanists, there are about 50,000 plants on hand at the production facility at any one time.
Current operation
Presently, the United States Botanic Garden is home to almost 10,000 living specimens, some of them over 165 years old.The national monument was closed for renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
s on September 1, 1997, and reopened to the public on December 11, 2001. At the time of closure for renovation, plants in the collection were placed in storage at the USBG Production Facility, retired to greenhouses in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, or composted.
Facilities
The historic Lord & Burnham
Lord & Burnham
Lord & Burnham was a noted American boiler and greenhouse manufacturers, and builders of major public conservatories in the United States....
greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
, built by the Architect of the Capitol in 1933, contains eight garden rooms under glass, totaling 28944 square feet (2,689 m²) of growing space. In 2001, the Conservatory re-opened after a four-year renovation that required it to be completely dismantled and rebuilt using 21st century building standards. The Conservatory is divided into separate rooms, each simulating a unique habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
:
- The Garden Court
- Rare and Endangered Plants (rare speciesRare speciesA rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
, endangered speciesEndangered speciesAn endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
) - Plant Exploration
- Orchid House (orchidsOrchidaceaeThe Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
) - Medicinal Plants (medicinal plantsHerbalismHerbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
) - Desert (desertDesertA desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
species) - Hawaii
- Garden Primeval (primevalPrimevalPrimeval or primæval may refer to:* Primeval, a British science fiction television series.* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
) - Plant Adaptation
- Jungle (jungleJungleA Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
species; this is the largest of the rooms, and includes a second-story catwalkFootbridgeA footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
so that the jungle canopy may be observed from both below and above) - Children's Garden (courtyardCourtyardA court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
; features many thriving temperateTemperateIn geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
annualsAnnual plantAn annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
used to encourage interest in plants) - Southern Exposure (courtyard),on the south side of the building, is surrounded by glass walls, receiving more warmth. It features many plants from the SoutheastSoutheastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
and SouthwestSouthwestern United StatesThe Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
, which would not be able to live in the colder District of Columbia climate if not for the microclimateMicroclimateA microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
Except for the Hawaiian house, the galleries, and south lobby, none of the conservatory has air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
. Each room is closely monitored by a computer-operated sensors to maintain the environment best suited to the plants in that room. Humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
, sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
and temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
are regulated by means of a misting system, retractable shades and levered windows. All plants are watered daily by hand. Construction was completed on the 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) National Garden on the Botanic Garden's west border, in October 2006 and the garden includes a regional garden of plants native to the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
and Piedmont, a rose garden
Rose garden
A Rose garden or Rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped by individual variety, colour or class in rose beds.-Origins of the rose...
, a butterfly garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden is a life simulation game by independent developer Autonomous Productions, revolving around the raising and collecting of butterflies. Initially for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, the developers have promised there will be a PC version and WiiWare version...
, and the First Ladies Water Garden, a water garden
Water garden
Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens, are a type of man-made water feature. A water garden is defined as any interior or exterior landscape or architectural element whose primarily purpose is to house, display, or propagate a particular species or variety of aquatic plant...
in memory of the First Ladies of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
.The National Garden construction was funded by the National Fund for the U.S. Botanic Garden which now exists as a 'friends group'.
Bartholdi Park lies just south of the Conservatory, across Independence Avenue. It is named for the Bartholdi Fountain
Bartholdi Fountain
The Bartholdi Fountain is a monumental public fountain, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who later created the Statue of Liberty. The fountain was originally made for the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is now located at the corner of Independence Avenue and...
in the garden's center designed by Frédéric Bartholdi
Frédéric Bartholdi
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was a French sculptor who is best known for designing the Statue of Liberty.-Life and career:...
. One of the goals of this garden is to provide inspiration and ideas for home gardeners who visit it. It displays a variety of small structured and non-structured gardens, and infuses color, shape, and planting themes. One section of the garden is certified as a National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...
Backyard Wildlife Habitat. The Park also houses the administrative building for the United States Botanic Garden.
The Production Facility in southwest D.C. is used for growing and storing plants for propagation
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
, for collection maintenance, or for display in upcoming annual shows.
The USBG participates in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which means that it cares for plants seized by Customs
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
. It specializes in orchids and succulents.
Wilkes Plants
There are four plants in the garden that are believed to be directly related to the original Wilkes Expedition.- The Vessel Fern (Angiopteris evecta) situated in the Jungle, is a fernFernA fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
believed to be the direct progeny of the Vessel Fern brought back on Wilkes' ship. Because of the lifespan of Vessel Ferns, it is highly unlikely that the present fern is the original; however it is believed that the present fern is a direct descendant and genetically identical to the original.
- The Ferocious Blue Cycad (Encephalartos horridusEncephalartos horridusThe Eastern Cape Blue Cycad is a small, low-growing cycad up to 0.9m high and 0.9m wide. It is a native of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, and found in arid shrublands, most commonly on ridges and slopes with shallow soils...
) is a cycadCycadCycads are seed plants typically characterized by a stout and woody trunk with a crown of large, hard and stiff, evergreen leaves. They usually have pinnate leaves. The individual plants are either all male or all female . Cycads vary in size from having a trunk that is only a few centimeters...
questionably one of the original Wilkes plants. Due to its size and possible age, some believe this plant to have come back with the expedition in 1842; unfortunately, early records are incomplete and inaccurate, so this is left to speculation.
- The Queen Sagos Cycas circinalisCycas circinalisCycas circinalis, also known as the Queen Sago, is a type of cycad that was thought to be linked with the degenerative disease Lytico-Bodig disease on the island of Guam; however, the species native to Guam has since been recognised as a separate species, Cycas micronesica, by K.D...
, which are cycads, live in the Garden Court. The Botanic Garden cares for both a male and a female of the speciesSpeciesIn biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, and both were brought back with the Wilkes Expedition.