The Smithsonian’s Awe-Inspiring Pollinator Garden

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All About The Gardens Of Washington DC

 

This week we took a stroll through a secret bee garden that is hidden beside the National Art Sculpture Garden. It’s called the Smithsonian Pollinator Garden, and it is open for a mosey 24/7 and it is just minutes away from Thomas Circle, DC!

 

Stroll along its pathways and learn all about the pollination process and how we are making it possible in little corners of the Nation like this one.

This is a great place to go after a dinner date, or with the family and kids after visiting the museums. It’s filled with science, bug home sculptures, and a bunch of cool plants. Plants make any space a happy place. And they have a lot of secrets that they share with bugs, science and you. Discover the mysteries behind pollination and why it is so vital that we take part in this fantastic process for the health and vitality of our globe. Be inspired to start your own little garden on the back porch, invite pollinators, and give a little back to nature. The garden first dives you through why it is so important to for pollination to take place, as it guides you through the beautiful array of plants and flowers.

So, Why is Pollination Important? 

Do you like fruits, nuts, berries, and vegetables? Pollination is important for keeping all those delicious foods around, and for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. In 2014, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum to craft and promoted the health of pollinators through a national strategy.  DC hopped on board with this initiative by creating this pollinator garden, and other gardens around the city. This is so important considering that one-third of the food you eat depends on pollinators! These little workers, bees, butterflies, and dragonflies, work so hard that they actually generate $24 billion in value a year to the agricultural system in the US. We really loved how the pollinator garden put this in perspective for us and is making a difference right in your Washington DC neighborhood.

The Maryland Flower and Queen Bee

All over the DMV area are these beautiful flowers called Black-Eyed Susans, and they keep secrets with pollinators like bees. Black-Eyed Susans may look yellow to our human eyes but they actually have ultraviolet rays that shine and guide pollinators like bees to their nectar. You can begin helping the cause by planting some of these beautiful bright-yellow flowers by your home and spreading the knowledge about the best-kept secrets of plants.

The science behind plants is so amazing and truly resilient. Did you know that after a queen bee is hatched, she has to survive through the winter? She does this by hiding out and hibernating underground or within rotting woodpiles. When she emerges from her slumber, she starts a new colony of her own- what an independent woman!

Habitats for Pollinating in Washington DC

What we loved most about the Pollinator Garden were all the habitats that the Smithsonian created around pollinators and favorite flowers. They had beehives and caterpillars stuffed with nesting materials and filled with areas for bugs to crawl around and reproduce. You’ll find all kinds of pollinator-happy sculptures in the shape of dragonflies, butterflies, caterpillars, and even a praying mantis!

How Can DC Residents Help?

The reality is that pollinator populations are at risk, and sometimes it is the small grassroots efforts that can make all the difference. By this, we mean natural grass and roots and encourage you to dig a hole in the dirt and plant some flowers. It’s a fun and relaxing way to contribute to the environment and watch the fruits of your labor grow and flourish.

If you don’t have space for a garden on the back porch of your apartment, try volunteering at any of the Smithsonian Gardens and picking up some new techniques.  Spending time outdoors in nature can contribute to a happier and healthier you!

Explore DC Gardens

It is so amazing to see a city integrate such care for the community by creating gardens that flourish in the summer, and while still providing homes for the bugs over winter.

You would think that living in the city means having to travel just to reach a stream, creek, or tree. But that is not the case at all in Washington DC. The city’s filled with lush cherry blossom trees, sculpture gardens, hiking, and biking trails.

Feel free to take a stroll in the park with your family or date as the sun sets on Washington DC. Learn about the science behind nature in a fun and exciting way, and relax as you walk among the flowers, birds, and pollinators!

The Nation’s capital is filled with fun facts about science history and more! Light up your life in the city that hums to its own beat of change, innovation, and exploration.

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