Have additional events or tours to suggest? Email them to DC Gardens.
December 2015 – February 2016
Through Jan 3: Holidays at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Free. Trains, poinsettias, DC landmarks made of plant parts, and oversized bee and butterfly sculptures materials at the first-ever Pollination Station. Featured in the Washington Post.
Through Jan 3 – Winter Walk of Lights at Meadowlark Botanical Garden.
Now through March 13 – Ice-Skating at the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden. Watch the cool video about it here.
Tuesdays and Thursdays through December 29: Concerts at US Botanic Garden. Free. No.registration required. Evenings in the Conservatory are magical! Limited seating; first come, first served. More info here.
Dec.15, 22 and 29: “Bones of the Winter Garden” at Hillwood Gardens, led by head horticulturist Bill Johnson. Register here.
Through December – Wreath-making at Tudor Place. Details here.
December 6 – Puppet Show at Green Spring Gardens. Register in advance here.
Dec 4, 5 and 20 Mt. Vernon by Candlelight. Details here.
Through January 6 – Christmas at Mt. Vernon. Details here.
December 5 to January 3 – Winter Display and Garden Railway Exhibit at Brookside Gardens. 10 am – 5 pm. Free.
Now through January 3: Garden of Lights: Winter Walk-through Holiday Light Display at Brookside Gardens. A family fave.
December 6: Gardeners Holiday Open House at Green Spring Gardens..
December 12 Holiday Craft Party at Green Spring Gardens. 1 pm.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays in December – Tea and Tour the National Cathedral and Grounds.
January – March: Popular Winter Lecture Series at Green Spring Gardens. Great topics and speakers. Only $10. Register here
January 30: Washington Gardener Magazine’s 10th Annual Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens.12:30 – 4:00 pm. Repeated February 6 at Green Spring Gardens. Sign-up here starts on Dec. 15.
Winter Workshops at the National Arboretum – register here.
Jan.30, Feb 27 and March 12: 3-Part Bee Program at Green Spring Gardens.
“Plight of Urban Bees,” “Beginning Beekeeping” and “Solitary Bee Box Workshop.” Info and registration here.
February 2 – Annual Orchid Show and Auction by the National Capital Orchid Society at Behnke Nurseries.
February 6: Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Green Spring Gardens. 12:30 – 4. Washington Gardener Magazine is co-hosting the 11th annual Seed Exchange at Green Spring Gardens with lectures, face-to-face seed swap and more. Info and registration here.
February 20 from 9 am to 4. Eco-Savvy Symposium on Wise-Water Gardening.Very popular! Speakers include Greg Tepper, Delaware Botanic Gardens’ Horticulture Director; Lily Whitesell, watershed specialist, NVSWCD; Lauren Wheeler, principal of Natural Resources Design; and Todd Brethauer, science educator. Enroll here.
February 27 to April 17: Orchids in Focus, in the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory (joint project with the Smithsonian).
February 18 to October 23: “Flora in the National Parks” opens in the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory (joint project with the National Park Service). Art exhibit celebrating 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
February 27: 9th Annual Rooting DC Forum! It’s a FREE, all-day gardening forum providing education about urban food production and consumption. Dozens of workshops, cooking and food preservation demonstrations, and panels discussing youth gardening, nutrition, sustainable growing techniques, and more.
Regular Tours, Classes, Workshops in Washington, D.C.
- Hillwood Garden tours September 1 – November 15. And click here for workshops and special tours.
- Tram Tours of the National Arboretum. Also, classes, workshops, etc.
- Smithsonian Gardens tours weekly.
- Special Tours of Tudor Place are offered monthly.
- The U.S. Botanic Garden offers tours, workshops, talks and demonstrations all season – click here for 2015 schedule.
In Suburban Virginia
- Green Spring Gardens adult and kids’ events.
- Mt. Vernon Gardens and Landscape Tours are given daily April – October.
- Meadowlark Botanical Garden home of the Walk of Lights!
In Suburban Maryland
- Brookside Gardens’ talks, workshops, etc.