Cherry blossoms aren’t the only flower flex that D.C. has to offer visitors.
Saturday starts a weeklong celebration of the lotus plants and water lilies that bloom in acres of ponds across the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Northeast D.C.
Along with the stunning visuals the lily and lotus plants provide, Vince Vaise, program manager for visitor services at the National Park Service site, told WTOP the festival will feature music, children’s activities, a live raptor demonstration, crafts and special tours of the garden.
This time of year, the water lilies and lotus plants are bursting with color.
For those who don’t know a lily from a lotus, Vaise said lilies bloom at water surface level alongside the lily pads that can be as big as dinner plates. Lotus blossoms, Vaise said, cap a long stem that can rise as high as five to six feet from the water’s surface.
“And on top of it is this huge flower, a little bit larger than a softball.” And the flower petals are brilliant pink, “and on the inside, it looks almost like a shower head of bright yellow,” Vaise said.
He said the lilies and lotus plants tend to open and close during the day.
“I would get there in the morning, say around 8 o’clock,” when the flowers are open, he said. “As the day warms up and as the sun gets brighter, both the lilies and the lotus tend to close.”
But, he said, during the festival, there are several days when the park will remain open until 8 p.m.
“The flowers open up again after 5 o’clock,” Vaise said, and the park itself has a whole different feel.
Lovers of wildlife will also enjoy the gardens, where Vaise said a variety of herons, songbirds and even the occasional bald eagle make appearances across the park.
The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are part of the National Park Service park system, and the site is often referred to as a “hidden gem,” but Vaise said the secret is getting out, and the gardens are popular with local residents and tourists from all over the world.
When you visit, Vaise suggested wearing comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and bringing your own water. However, he said, during the festival week, there will be food trucks on the property, so visitors will be able to fuel up and grab drinks while there.
