We used to go to the National Arboretum quite often, and always for their magnificent collection of azaleas, but we haven't gone there for several years since due to mobility issues, I can't hike around there like I used to. So we decided to take Queenie for a tour of the grounds, and a good time was had by all. I'm posting pictures from our recent brief visit and may also add some from past years in order to show the beauty and extent of the gardens.

From Wikipedia:

The United States National Arboretum is located in northeast Washington, D.C., operated by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. It was established in 1927 by an act of Congress.

It is 446 acres (1.80 km2) in size and is located 2.2 miles (3.5 km) northeast of the US Capitol building. The campus's gardens, collections and features are connected by roadways that are 9.5 miles (15.3 km) long in total.

The Arboretum functions as a major center of botanical research conducted by the USDA, including applied research on trees, shrubs, turf, and the development of new ornamental plants. In addition to a library and a historical archive, the institution also has an extensive herbarium of over 800,000 specimens documenting wild and cultivated plant diversity.

Its major gardens include the Asian Collections, Fern Valley Native Plant Collections, Flowering Tree Collection, National Grove of State Trees and the National Herb Garden as well as well as the Azalea, Dogwood, Holly, Magnolia, National Maple, National Boxwood and Perennial collections. It also features the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum as well as a conservatory.