‘Who knew it was here?’ Hidden gem in Northern Virginia features waterfall, bamboo forest — and Hobbit village

It’s a place where art and nature meet — with a deeper mission behind the beauty. In this edition of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax went to check out the National Botanic Garden in Virginia, where he was transported to another world … fit for a Hobbit.

Chantilly’s National Botanic Garden comes with a lake, waterfalls, and plenty of plants — including a cactus forest.

There’s a man-made castle constructed of entirely recycled materials, a Japanese-style village with a bamboo forest and room to meditate and the feature attraction: a real-life, full-scale Hobbit village, which looks straight out of a Tolkien novel.

But the Garden’s biggest achievement comes in the form of its sustainability. Join Matt in a guided tour with the owners of the land, and find out about what they’re doing to prepare for the future, just as much as they’re looking to make their garden as beautiful as possible today.

 

Whether you have a green thumb, whether you like Lord of the Rings, guests agree that there’s something here for everyone.

The Garden is only open a few days a month, and their next window for visitation is coming in November. To find out more about dates of availability and get tickets, head to their website.

Matt Kaufax

If there's an off-the-beaten-path type of attraction, person, or phenomenon in the DC area that you think more people should know about, Matt is your guy. As the features reporter for WTOP, he's always on the hunt for stories that provide a unique local flavor—a slice of life if you will.

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