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10/21/2026

The Archives of American Gardens, a program within Smithsonian Garden, is proud to launch American Garden Stories online just in time for October’s American Archives Month.

Each leaf on the tree is a unique story that draws upon the collections of Smithsonian Gardens, particularly materials from the Archives of American Gardens. Through these stories, Smithsonian Gardens invites you to explore the nation’s rich history of gardening and discover the many connections between people and plants preserved in the Archives of American Gardens.

Explore the site and stay tuned because we will be sharing some of these stories in the coming months! https://s.si.edu/3VXtTqu

This project received funding from the Smithsonian's "Our Shared Future: 250," a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.

10/19/2026

Chicken of the woods or chicken in the woods?? 🐓 🍄‍🟫 Learn more from horticulturist Stephanie about this fun-guy.

Video description: a horticulturist wearing a green shirt and khaki hat. She is kneeling next to a stump that has an orangish mushroom growing on it.

10/17/2026

Our hearts are bustin’ with love for Euonymus americanus! 😍

Known as strawberry bush or hearts-a-bustin’, this shrub is native to the southeastern United States and can be found growing on woodland slopes, often around creeks and rivers. Though it prefers moist soils, Euonymus is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, from clay to sandy and even occasional drought. The spring flowers are small and inconspicuous, but the fall fruit capsules and seeds are bright red and very eye-catching. This shrub is perfect for a woodland garden!

Video description: horticulturist standing behind a deciduous shrub explaining the small red fruit capsules and red seeds which gives the shrub its common name

10/13/2026

Don’t blink, or you might miss it! Cereus hexagonus is just one of many species of night-blooming cacti. We were able to catch it in the early hours, and a short time later its blooms had already closed. Each bloom only lasts a day. This South American native is about 4 feet in height, but in the wild it can get to be an impressive 50 feet tall! As a houseplant it is grown for its structural appearance, and the edible fruits are most definitely a bonus!

📷: Shannon, Horticulturist

10/08/2026

Our gardens are an unbe-leaf-able place to visit in the fall. 🤩🍁

Whether you're admiring the changing leaves or discovering a new favorite spot, soak up the season across more than 180 acres of gardens to explore and enjoy.

Video description: clips of fall garden photos.

📷: Hannele, Living Collections Photographer

10/03/2026

Mum mum mia, here we go again! My, my, how can I resist you?

One of the most iconic fall floral displays is the mighty mum. It’s hard to avoid these colorful mounded gumdrops as they can be found in streets displays, on peoples’ doorsteps, and in every garden store. There is almost every color imaginable to choose from, and they will range from early fall season blooming to late season. Chrysanthemums are relatively easy to grow and maintain but do best when they have at least six hours of sunlight and regular watering. Pro-Tip: water the soil, not the top of the plant and the flowers as that could encourage disease. Here in our display outside the National Museum of American History, our horticulturists treat them as annuals. These mums have their moment of glory for about a month before they get swapped out for annuals in that will last until spring.

And while mums can be treated like annuals, many Chrysanthemum species and cultivars are hardythroughout the Mid-Atlantic and will come back year after year in a garden. So, if you buy mums for your home, they don’t have to be just for one season! Enjoy them on your front porch then plant them in the ground before the soil starts to freeze from colder temperatures. Check with your local extension agency or garden center for hardy Chrysanthemum recommendations that will do best in your growing region.

Plants used in our display: Chrysanthemum 'Flamingo Cranberry Red', C. ‘Cracklin' Golden Yellow', Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster'

Video description: clips of fall mums being planted by staff in a garden bed.

10/01/2026

Peperomia argyreia, also known as the watermelon peperomia, this plant sure does scream summer! It will produce some interesting flowers; however, it is typically not grown for its inflorescences. Place your plant in a bright window out of direct sunlight and allow the soil to dry out before watering (but do not wait until the plant wilts). This Peperomia is easy to grow but can easily be overwatered. Do not allow it to sit in water. If kept happy, it will reward you with an attractive display of variegated watermelon rind-looking leaves. 🪴

📷: Shannon, Horticulturist

09/29/2026

Fall may have officially arrived but we can’t help but enjoy the last few moments of summer in the gardens. ☀️🌼

Video description: multiple pans of gardens and close ups of blooming garden plants

09/26/2026

Attention Little Monsters, meet our newest plant baby!

Please give a fabulous welcome to x Rhyncholaeliocattleya Lady Gaga ‘Edge of Glory’.

This orchid hybrid is the result of more than 10 generations of selective breeding, combining decades of horticultural artistry into a true masterpiece worthy of its superstar name.

Now under the care of our orchid team, this young seedling will spend the next several years growing and developing before reaching blooming size, with an estimated first bloom in 2031. True botanical wonders take time.

📷: Justin, Horticulturist

Video description: horticulturist is wearing black pants and a green polo short-sleeve shirt. He is in a greenhouse filled with orchids. The person is walking up and down an aisle trying to figure out where the “ra ra” sound is coming from. The person figures it out and shares about the Lady Gaga orchid.

09/24/2026

Among the final tropical plants to come into full bloom each year is Senna corymbosa (hardy cassia). Its cheerful yellow flowers hint at the seasonal transition ahead. This Senna is hardy to zone 7, but to ensure we have full, large plants to display in late summer year after year, our horticulturists overwinter the plants in our greenhouse. Before long, all of our tropical plants will return to the greenhouse, so we hope you have a chance to enjoy this Senna and all of the tropical plants we have on display throughout our gardens!

📷: Matt F., Supervisory Horticulturist

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600 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington D.C., DC
20024

Telephone

(202) 633-2220

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http://gardens.si.edu/

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