US Botanic Garden

On October 17, 2001, ground was broken for construction to begin on the National Garden. Five years later, the National Garden opened to the public on October 1, 2006. It provides "living laboratories" for environmental, horticultural, and botanical education in a contemplative setting. 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. The Rose Garden is designed as an outdoor garden room featuring many varieties of the rose, our national flower. The First Ladies' Water Garden, a simple but elegant square with a frame of surrounding paving, is designed to create a memorable image of the central role that water plays in the well-being of plants, animals, and humankind. The Water Garden honors the First Ladies of the United States by recognizing their notable service to our country. The Regional Garden presents outstanding plants native to the mid-Atlantic region in naturalistic settings arranged along a moisture gradient.