Friday, September 22, 2017

GBFling 2017 — The Smithsonian Gardens: the end

I didn't take enough photos of the landscape at the National Museum of the American Indian or the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to warrant their own posts, so they'll be sharing my final coverage of the Smithsonian Gardens on the National Mall — as seen during the 2017 Garden Bloggers Fling.

First up the gardens surrounding the National Museum of the American Indian...


The building itself was a beauty.

Sumac and sculpture...

"We Were Always Here" by Oregon's Rick Bartow.

Yucca rostrata and friends, including a couple of Agaves.

To be admired from afar though, as there was no way to actually get out in that space, even from inside the museum (had I opened the door an alarm would sound).

It certainly looks like you're supposed to be able to get out there and lounge though, doesn't it?

Moving on....there was a large swampy pond with cattails and aquatic plants. Had I not been overheated (so humid), and tired, I would have been better about recording names. Instead I just snapped a few photos.

I wonder if mosquitoes are a problem?

Now over to the sculpture garden. This piece "Sphere No. 6" by Arnaldo Pomodoro was my favorite.

"Arnaldo Pomodoro says that the inner ball represents the Earth and outer ball represents Christianity. The design of the internal layers which look like the gears or cogwheels of a complex machine symbolizes the fragility and complexity of the world." (source)

The placement, on the small cement pedestal, in the middle of bed of Liriope (?) was simple perfection.

There was more...

And plants too of course!

This piece cracks me up. Andrew and I recently saw a short documentary on the lady behind this work, Yayoi Kusama.

She's interesting. Here's a piece on her show at the Seattle Art Museum (organized by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution), if you're curious.

But this is a gardening blog...so let's look at a few plants!

Nicely done succulent mash-up.

Repetition baby!

Cordyline fruticosa 'Singapore Twist'...love their use of exotics!

I still have the The U.S. Botanic Garden to visit before my coverage of the gardens on The Mall is complete...

Weather Diary, Sept 21: Hi 63, Low 48/ Precip .02"

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

11 comments:

  1. Those exotics probably enjoy and thrive in the humid DC heat. You got some good shots despite. Humid heat sucks the life out of me.

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  2. Our pond and stream draw dragonflies, toads, etc. and many things that keep mosquitoes under control. They are more of a problem in terms of rain and wet weather. The American Indian Musum is stunning.

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    1. Perhaps that's the case, natural balance...

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  3. What fun! Love that huge pumpkin which is perfect for the first day of, well, you know.

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  4. I missed this area entirely so I'm glad to see your coverage of it. We needed at least 2 more hours on the mall and a temperature drop of about 20 degrees. That Cordyline is fantastic (and new to me).

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    1. Ya definitely more time! I bet that Cordyline would love your garden...

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  5. I just love all those curves of The American Indian Museum, it's gorgeous, as are the grounds. Too bad the heat and humidity sucked all the energy out of the "Flinging" gardeners.
    Twice I tried to get in to see Yayoi Kusama, and twice I failed to acquire tickets: her exhibit was in extremely high demand in Seattle. The pumpkin sculpture is fun and somewhat unexpected.

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  6. Those excellent sculptures with understated plantings are so good. Especially from mild and dry Las Cruces! I do notice their spiky plants look droopy or too green compared to here...they share my love for dry.

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  7. Thanks for the tour; beautiful building-- like a sculpture designed to complement the outdoors. In the swampy area, if this is still the Native American complex, i wonder if that's wapato? A native here that's rare to find nowadays. Would love to see if they're actually cultivating it.

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