Nutgraf

I had the great good fortune to spend some time at Dumbarton Oaks with my alleged father (as he used to sign notes to my teachers when I was a kid), getting a guided tour from a dear friend and freshly minted landscape architect who has worked there over the summer.

I grew up in DC and have lived here much of my adult life – aside from poorly advised intervals in Ohio and Boston – and yet have never toured these gardens.

The house and grounds were purchased in 1920 by spamillionaires Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss. Over the course of years, they renovated the grounds into a series of terraced gardens. Today, it is a weirdly secluded, very private preserve right in the middle of historic Georgetown. Standing on the grounds, you hardly know you’re in DC, the only hint being the distant hum of traffic on Rock Creek Parkway and the occasional view of church spires that peek through the trees.

The Blisses left the property and their art collection to Harvard University, with a generous endowment that continues to support it today. One of the things I find most interesting about it, is that – as a self-sustaining facility – they have no public mission. Many of the gardens are open to the public during limited hours, but their primary mission is preservation and research, and they are beholden to no one.

Here are some photos from our great visit. It was one of those 500% humidity days that DC is famous for (I practically needed a snorkel), as you can see in these overcast and somewhat hazy pictures.

Dumbarton Oaks is so easy to miss and so worthwhile. Strong recommend.

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