This past Thursday I attended the annual “Cookout Under the Stars” at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The dinner is hosted each year by the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA), and the proceeds from the event help support inner-city youth education and horticultural programs, internships, and plant and tree research.

The U.S. National Arboretum was established in 1927 by Congress. The Arboretum is administered by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its mission is: “To serve the public need for scientific research, education, and gardens that conserve and showcase plants to enhance the environment.”

The Arboretum comprises 446 acres and is located in Northeast Washington, D.C. about two miles from the U.S. Capitol. Over 500,000 people visit the Arboretum each year. It is home to thousands of azaleas, boxwoods, daffodils, daylilies, dogwoods, hollies, magnolias, and maples. The National Bonsai and Pinjing Garden houses one of the largest bonsai collections in North America. Other gardens feature aquatic plants, ferns, flowering trees, conifers, and herbs.

One of the biggest highlights of the National Arboretum is its National Capitol Columns. Twenty-two huge Corinthian columns sit atop a hill at the Arboretum providing one of Washington’s most unique landmarks. The Arboretum has been home to the columns for only a decade, but date back to 1828 where they were first used at the East Portico of the Capitol. In 1958, the columns were replaced by an addition to the east side of the Capitol, and later were brought to the Arboretum thanks to benefactor Ethel Garrett.

The National Capitol Columns are particularly dramatic at night. Last week’s FONA dinner was set up under a large white tent down the hill from the columns. My husband and I joined other dinner guests after dinner with a walk up to the columns, which also featured a lovely Persian-style narrow water feature or rill.

The National Arboretum is an island of serenity amidst the chaos of Washington, D.C. and the nerve-rattling life that surrounds us today. If you’re ever in the area, I would strongly recommend a visit to the Arboretum to soothe the senses.

Better yet, join the Friends of the National Arboretum and make a donation today to ensure that these precious 446 acres will be around for the next generation of planet dwellers, who will need the benefit of a little nerve-calming and a big dose of flora.