Dumbarton Oaks

This past weekend I visited the grounds of what's called Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC, up the hill a bit along Wisconsin Avenue. This estate is owned by Harvard University and the grounds are beautiful. I first became aquatinted with the name DO back in my college days, for Igor Stravinsky wrote a "neo-classical" concerto called Dumbarton Oaks for orchestra, modeled somewhat after Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. You can read a more detailed account here, about the concerto). Interesting, I think, is that the piece was a commission piece to celebrate an anniversary, and that Nadia Boulanger conducted the premier! Immediately upon seeing the place, I knew I'd be happy living there. Great architecture and again, beautiful gardens. Here's part of the façade of the greenhouse, I believe. I love here how the sun was captured here by my Sigma wide-angle lens... it's an overused effect, but nice, I think, when our eye goes up a path. This was a nice, quiet green space, which would have been awesome for enjoying a book for an afternoon. And beyond the delicious colors, another nook for enjoying the evening, perhaps... Another area, which deserves more pixel space, is this one, shot from afar, with the most whimsical creations made from vines. This area can also be filled with water, which I'm sad I missed. And from above: This is the rose garden, which should be ready later this year: And finally, this is another awesome quiet place, with the canopy of a very old and strong tree. You can always imagine that dinner is waiting for you at the house, after your stroll... Located off Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown, you'll find the entrance to the gardens along R street. Learn more at their website. $8 for adults.