I come to praise a public garden in the Maryland suburbs of D.C. for helping thousands of locals get outdoors in nature, move their bodies and feel a little saner while staying covid-safe. It’s Brookside Gardens, a 50-acre county garden that’s kept its outdoors open all this year.
As you can tell from this panoramic shot of their Visitors Center, they don’t skimp on color.
My favorite spot in the fall is this line of ginkgo leaves at their purest yellow.
Near the entrance is their annual display of mums, which normally is indoors but since being moved outdoors it’s more popular than ever. Photo ops galore!
The display includes a frame for portraits and two selfie stations where visitors could prop up their phones for the shot.
The Full 2020 Report
I spoke with Ellen Hartranft, Visitors Services Coordinator for Brookside, for more details about how covid has affected the garden.
Sadly, their major holiday events – the Garden of Lights and the indoor railroad display – had to be cancelled.
The Visitors Center closed in March but reopened in mid-August (including rest rooms and the gift shop.) Despite its being closed for so long, with no rest rooms available, visitation this year has been up 75 percent over normal years!
I’m not surprised, hearing from so many of my friends that they’re visiting more than ever, and arranging get-togethers there with family and friends. Nobody’s back yard is as large and safe for socializing as Brookside’s 50 acres. Also, there’s no entrance fee, and parking is abundant.
As a visitor myself – a visitor in the vulnerable age group – I appreciated that only one person is allowed in the rest room at a time. And only six people or family units are allowed in the atrium at a time. To accomplish those safety measures, administrative staff and volunteers have been commandeered into doorman positions.
Of course lots of things have gone virtual – both adult and children’s programming. But not everything. The spring plant sales went on in person, with curb-side pick-up. Friends of Brookside Gardens held their own plant sale – with record-breaking proceeds!
And the public has been able to hold their own small events there – weddings, memorials, and parties, all complying with the county’s 50-person limit, which includes staff and vendors. (Brookside reduced its event fees to be in line with the smaller event size.)
So kudos for everything Brookside does for the public, especially this year!
Now enjoy a few more scenes from late October.
Brookside Gardens is More Appreciated than Ever originally appeared on GardenRant on November 6, 2020.
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