U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Tree

I read on someone's blog that the United States Botanic Garden had a fun train display for the holidays with everything being made of plant material. I wanted to make this work with a trip to see the National Tree and luckily on Tuesdays and Thursdays the Botanic Garden was staying open until 8 (normally it closes at 5). So we waited for traffic to end and headed into DC arriving just after 7PM.

Here's the description from their website:
Don’t miss this popular exhibit which includes Washington landmark buildings all created with plant materials set amidst pathways and pools of blooming poinsettias and other holiday plants. Our famous garden railway will feature world landmarks from the continents of Africa, Asia Europe and South America.


The trains.


The kids LOVED it! They love all the different famous world buildings (some which I'd never even heard of, and one B hadn't which is really saying something). And of course, they loved the trains. They even had a Thomas train and a Percy train as well as a cool caterpillar looking training.


The Washington Landmarks.


The Capitol at night at Christmas time. It's in the background of the kids' picture too, you have to look closely above Buddy's head.



The National Tree at The Ellipse. Our camera did the best it can at night (and we used B's cell phone some). All around the base of the tree are small train displays. Buddy declared this the best train day ever. He is also making plans for rearranging the presents under the tree and setting up his battery operated Thomas the Tank Engine under there.


The White House.


Princess Sparkley and the White House (which you can't see in the picture).


The Virginia tree. Each state, territory and the District of Columbia had a smaller, uniquely decorated tree around the National Tree.

It was cold! And windy. Brr. Mid-thirties, felt like low-twenties. We parked near the Botanic Garden and the drove and ended up parking in front of the Museum of American History so we had a little bit of a walk to get to The Ellipse. Brr.