“Season’s Greenings” From The United States Botanic Garden

If you’re tiring of the snow and cold this winter, a tropical getaway may be closer than you think. This holiday season, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) has been transformed into a tropical paradise. Located in Washington, D.C., the USBG boasts the largest indoor trees in the city, a dazzling array of poinsettias, and now a lush, fanciful wonderland-filled with colorful flora and fauna.

The USBG’s seasonal train display Season’s Greenings: Pollination Station (made entirely made from plant materials) offers a fantastical world filled with giant birds, butterflies, and bees; sylvan cottages consumed by moss and blossoms; oversized flowers; and train tracks winding across a labyrinth of miniature, intensely-saturated jungles.

Also presented is a replica of the Capitol, similarly made out of plant materials. Circled by rich foliage, the iconic landmark is transformed into something out of a fairy kingdom. Replicas of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument likewise find themselves surrounded by enchanting gardens, filled with lavish textures and theatrical colors.

While the tropical display gives its name to the exhibit, the USBG’s annual Christmas tree–decked with traditional ornaments, thin, shimmering icicles, and bright, vivid butterflies–is not to be missed. Along the bottom, train tracks curve through an understory of dense poinsettias, passing by avenues of quaint, old-fashioned miniature homes and other scenes from the city.

The Season’s Greenings display runs until January 3th, 2016. Free, live music accompanies the exhibit on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Check out the USBG’s website to plan your visit!