Enid A. Haupt Garden — Attraction in Washington

This is one of my favorite Smithsonian Gardens. It's the 4.3 acre garden that is nestled between the National Museum of Asian Art and the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building. It also sits above the underground quadrangle complex in what used to be known as the South Yard. We happened to enter it from a walkway on the side of the Freer Gallery of Arts building. The path of beautiful tropical flowers lead us to the Smithsonian Castle and The Parterre. It felt like just another hidden garden on the National Mall until we saw the Renwick Gates on the way out to Independence Ave. It's a very grand entrance to the castle. There's even more to discover as you walk around Enid A. Haupt Garden.

Make sure to continue your walk around the pavilion entrances of the Sackler Gallery and the National Museum of African Art. You'll come across the Moongate Garden that is inspired by the Temple of Heaven Garden. The gates and walkways are made of pink granite. There's a black granite pool surrounding it. There is also a Moorish fountain that faces the Museum of African Art. You wouldn't even know that it's all there unless you walk through the garden.

This beautiful garden restoration of the quadrangle was made possible through a generous donation from horticultural philanthropist Enid Annenburg Haupt. I didn't know who she was until doing a little research. She's credited for partly funding Gerald Van Der Kemp's orchid project at Monet's Garden in Giverny. She is best known for her $34 million gift to the New York Botanical Garden & Conservatory. Her name lives on through many of...

The Enid A. Haupt Garden is a lovely 4-acre garden situated on the back side of the Smithsonian Castle on the south side of The Mall in D.C. Opened to the public in 1987, the garden is designed in the manner of American Victorian style of the mid to late 19th century.

Here you will find a parterre surrounded by pools, planted trees, shrubs, flower beds along with hanging plants, with brick paths allowing visitors to explore the garden space. During our May visit, the entire garden was flush with flowering blooms and just beautiful to see.

Tip: For nice pictures stand back at the garden entrance gate on Independence Avenue SW. From here you can capture much of the Castle and garden in your camera lens.

Note: From the garden you will find entrance to the 'Castle', National Museum of African Arts as well as the Sackler and Freer Galleries.

Note: There are a handful of gardens around the Smithsonian Castle that you can visit. These include the Chinese style Moongate garden near to the entrance to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery entrance and Ripley Centre. Similarly, on the west side of the 'Castle' is the Kathrine Dulin Rose Garden. Then a bit further west on the other side of the Arts & Industry building is the Mary Livingstone...

The Enid A. Haupt Garden has quickly become one of our favorite locations in DC for wedding or engagement portraits. As professional photographers, we always want to give our couples pictures a lot of different looks and feels. And though the Enid A. Haupt Garden is not huge -- it's practically hiding in plain sight behind the Smithsonian Castle! -- it offers more variety than some locations that are twice its size. There are so many different kinds of trees, flowers and bushes growing in the space that nearly every nook or corner has a new vibe. We particularly love the Moongate Garden, which is an awesome place for creative portraits.

Oh, and the best thing about the Enid A. Haupt Garden as a photoshoot location? Unlike most of the National Mall area, commercial photoshoots there require no...