Summer Is in Bloom at the Floral Library

July 29, 2021

The Floral Library isn’t really a library at all—it’s a garden and a stunning one at that. It first bloomed in 1969 thanks to then-First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. An avid lover of nature, she took it upon herself to create more green spaces during her time in the White House. The Floral Library arose as an offshoot of her Capital Beautification Project.

Her legacy lives on in the “library’s” 93 flower beds. Stop in for a visit, and you’ll quickly understand why the garden is also known as the Tulip Library. Most of the beds feature tulips, though some showcase other annuals depending on the season. The flowers are planted by hand every year—it takes about 10,000 bulbs to keep the garden in bloom! On a sunny day, plan a trip to enjoy the 1.5-acre garden, which sits near the intersection of Maine and Independences Avenues in D.C.