Gardeners and plant fanciers who also enjoy history and politics will find the U.S. Botanic Garden a great place to visit when they tour the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC.

The garden, located at the southeast corner of the National Mall, just catty-corner from the Capitol, was established in 1820 by an act of Congress. At 181 years old, it is the oldest botanic garden in North America.

Visitors will especially enjoy the site’s Bartholdi Park, named for the sculptor of the beautiful fountain that is its centerpiece. (Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was the same sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty.) The fountain, created for the Centennial Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia, was moved to the Capitol grounds in 1877 and to its current site in 1932.

The park itself is a series of demonstration gardens that illustrate various design principles and plant combinations, most of them aimed at home gardeners. The extensive flower beds, which feature both annuals and perennials, are changed seasonally to afford visitors a chance to see a great variety of possible configurations.

For all its longevity, though, the garden is now undergoing some vast changes and improvements. Its signature Conservatory, opened in 1933, closed in late 1997 to undergo a three-year renovation and restoration.

A key element in the restored structure will be the restored Palm House, the “crown” of the Conservatory, famous for its collection of towering tropical palms gathered over the years from the far ends of the globe.

The Palm House was one of the first large buildings in the U.S. to use aluminum as a structural material. However, the aluminum deteriorated over the years, leading to the decision to close down and renovate the Conservatory.

Along with restoration of the Conservatory, work has been going on for more than two years on the construction of the $10 million National Garden, a three-acre site that will showcase plants that grow well in the Mid-Atlantic region. Access to the garden will be through the restored Conservatory.

When it is completed, the National Garden will feature four distinct areas: the Environmental Learning Center, the Rose Garden, the Water Garden and the Showcase Garden. The Water Garden will be dedicated to all the first ladies of the U.S.

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