One of the many perks of living in the DC area is getting to explore more than the mall or the Top 10 tourist sites in the city. Recently we visited one of those places that is off the beaten path.
Nestled in the Kenilworth neighborhood off of the 295 highway are the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens.
I was blown away that this beautiful garden was just blocks from the freeway and yet it was peaceful. You could hear the birds, frogs and even watch the turtles. This is truly a hidden gem.
Due to construction in the parking lot we had to park on side streets and enter through a temporary entrance. We immediately were greeted with ponds filled with lily pads and floating water lilies. These beautiful flowers have been beloved flowers hundreds of years.
Our walk took us along many ponds of waterlilies and then we saw incredible pink beauty. From the muck of muddy waters standing tall are the bright pink lotus flowers. Their leaves are gigantic, their flowers vibrant, but what is even more amazing is what happens after the flower blooms.
The seed pod is located in the center of the flower. After it blooms and shares its beauty for 5(ish) days the petals begin to fall. With the movement of the murky water the seeds fall out of the pod into the water where they will nestle into the mud till the conditions are right to grow and bloom. The pod will begin to dry out. I had no idea that these dried pods are what I have in many of my fall and winter flower arrangements.
While I was enchanted by these pods the boys were thrilled to be in a park that had lots of sticks and rocks. That little rock is about to become wet.
It is great fun to watch them discover nature for themselves. Sticks and rocks are at the top of their list to find. Running on the trails, walking like a bear on the bridge and watching the birds were also fun.
As the adults in their life we loved watching the brotherly love come out in sharing hugs, kisses and holding hands. They really are the sweetest.
Cutie E kept asking where the turtles were. We were looking, but they were hiding in their secret places. Just before leaving I spotted a little dude resting on the banks of one of the ponds in the sun. The boys loved watching him stretch his neck.
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