Sometimes, it's what's on the outside that matters...

When you think of the Smithsonian, what do you think of?  The exhibits, right?  You walk in those doors, and you're instantly transported.  If you're at the Natural History Museum, you're greeted by a huge elephant in the atrium.  If you're at the American History Museum, you see Flag Hall, home of the American flag that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner".  Perhaps you start with the Air and Space Museum, and are inundated with images of planes, rockets, and other aviation memorabilia - hanging from the ceiling, the walls, and right in front of you.

The museums even smell like history.

When was the last time you thought about the areas around the museums - the Smithsonian Gardens?  You know that they're part of the museums too, right?

It's okay.  I only know it because I'm married to one of the people that works for them.  And now I've made it one of my many missions in life to tell the world about them, and about the hardworking people who make them happen.

Today, we're going to visit the Heirloom Garden at the National Museum of American History (this happens to be the one where the Sous Chef works).  Generally, to be considered an "heirloom", a plant's seeds must have been passed down (meaning the grower saved the seeds of his best plants for the next season's planting) for at least fifty years.  Heirloom plants are hailed for their unique and beautiful variations.  Recently, with the emergence of the Slow Food movement and societal focus on natural, organic food, there is an increased demand for heirloom seeds.

Long story short: You won't find any GMOs here.

According to the Heirloom Garden's website, the plants featured in this garden have been cultivated prior to 1950.  No matter what season you're there (except for, well, Winter), there is always something blooming.  The garden runs around the entire perimeter of the museum, hugging it like a brightly colored quilt.

A somewhat new addition to the Heirloom Garden is the Gillette Family Garden, a collaboration between Smithsonian Gardens and Jefferson's Monticello, the Virginia estate that President Thomas Jefferson called home.  The Gillettes were a family of slaves that lived on Monticello and grew a vegetable garden both to use themselves and sell to the Jefferson family.

The new African American History museum is currently under construction, but a gallery is currently open at the American History museum, exhibiting items which will eventually be located in the new museum.  One of the exhibits is called "Slavery at Monticello: Paradox of Liberty".  The Gillette Family Garden ties directly in with this exhibit, with the horticulturists planting seeds whose ancestors once grew on the grounds of Monticello; perhaps even in the Gillette's garden.

This garden serves as an important reminder that the gardens surrounding the Smithsonian museums are an integral part of the exhibits and the culture that is the Smithsonian.  The Victory garden, also at the American History museum, is a living representation of the domestic war effort during World War II, and ties in with the "Within These Walls" exhibit on the museum's second floor.

The next time you visit the Smithsonian, think about taking a stroll around the grounds, to see the hard work that the horticulturists and volunteers have put together for you.  A lot of time, effort, and planning goes into creating these gardens, and they deserve a good look.