2017 Garden Bloggers Fling - Day 2

The second day took us to some private gardens in Maryland and to a public garden where lunch was served. All but one garden in the entire weekend contained shade and a water feature or two, or three, or more that allowed us to tolerate the summer. Weather was typical hot and humid the first two days but not overly oppressive as it can be.

Private Garden 1, Bethesda
The house at the end of a cul du sac, and featured gardens sculptured with uses of materials in ways unexpected.
Very inviting front porch.

Foundation plantings along the front included very few evergreens, but a lot of perennials.

Unusual use of wood for stepping stones, and twig branches forming large balls as lawn ornament in the background.

Now that's one use for bamboo that you cut down.

Water feature on the terrace. Another notice of most gardens: outdoor entertaining spaces were often broken into several areas, not on the same level, not of the same materials. This lower terrace held seating and the water feature, while the upper deck the dining table.

Among the hydrangeas.

Some weird seed pods held small succulents for the table centerpiece.

Private Garden 2, Bethesda
This was the backyard (I hate to call it 'yard') of a landscape designer. It was without a doubt, the most impressive residential landscaping of a yard steeply sloping down to the house that I have seen. Photos could not capture the entire feeling of a landscaped hillside.
Steps at the back terrace beckons one to begin an ascent to enter the landscape instead of merely observing it on the terrace.

The bottom of the hillside and the stream is a fish pond. THe sound of water is a relaxer.

Shady path between the front and back around the side of the house.


The stream starts at the top of the hillside and tumbles down into the pond filled with fish and water lilies. The gazebo at the top of the hill invites one to climb, and provides a visual point to draw your eyes up.

Inviting shady path to the other side of the house.

And close where we started -- on the front porch.

Day 1 Continued

2017 Garden Bloggers Fling • Washington DC
More public gardens were on the itinerary for the second half of Day 1 in Washington DC. A very warm sticky day exposed us to the normal summer weather Washington is noted for. Stops included the Smithsonian gardens along the National Mall, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and the Franciscan Monastery.

Smithsonian Gardens
I have written about the Smithsonian gardens in spring [posted 10.04.2009], but have never seen them in summer. I don't venture near the Mall in the summer due to the hoards of tourists taking over. I did not document with many photos on this trip.

One of the themed garden of the Smithsonian - the butterfly garden walk.

Big one

U.S. Botanic Garden
I have not been to the U.S. Botanic Garden in about a decade. A large greenhouse with several rooms of differing climates and locations were complimented by an outdoor garden and walk. I don't remember it as big as it is.
The Botanic Garden has this garden among the office buildings and near the capitol. A native planted stream and garden that looks like it was plucked out of the countryside.

A rest under the arbor, out of the sun. Love details like the vine as part of the step railings (or are they snakes?)

Love little delights that are surprises like the logo of the Botanic Garden on the gate doors.

Interior of one of the greenhouses.

Tropicals were very large.

Indoor papayas.

A daylily I have wanted. This one is called 'Red Ribbons'. I am fond of 'Radiation Biohazard' from another botanical garden.

Franciscan Monastery
A quick end of the day visit to some gardens and grotto. The best parts were the courtyard cloisters - very peaceful and contemplative. The grotto was filled with azaleas, and probably shines best in spring.