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DC's National Arboretum is 'a hidden gem'

The public garden is one of the largest green spaces in the Northeast part of the District.

WASHINGTON — As leaves start to change colors, one place to take in the sight is the National Arboretum in Northeast, D.C. -- and in addition to the beauty, there are also environmental initiatives there.

"We are a hidden gem," said Dr. Richard Olsen, Director of the United States National Arboretum. "And we've been here since 1927. Created by an act of Congress. We are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, and specifically the Agricultural Research Service. And so we are a collections based research facility and public garden. And we are open to the public and one of the largest green spaces in this part of the city."

The location is more than just your average garden.

"We're front and center in terms of collecting and conserving plants so that they can be used and this is in light of climate change, and other stress factors like disease and new pests," Olsen said. 

The National Arboretum is famous for many of their collections including the azalea collection on Mount Hamilton, flowering cherries, crape myrtles, and boxwood. They even have geographical collections including some from Asia, specifically China, Japan, and Korea.

The public garden is a big part of their environmental initiatives, but one of the biggest attractions at the location is the columns that stand tall in the green space.

"These are a unique piece of our nation's history. These are the original columns from the east portico of the Capitol building the US Capitol building, every president from Andrew Jackson to Eisenhower were inaugurated under these columns," Dr. Olsen said.

Anyone who would like to visit the gardens, they are open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here for more information on the National Arboretum.   

Watch Next: How climate change impacts the fall foliage | ECO9

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