Image: Smithsonian Gardens

Description: The Parterre, the centerpiece of the Haupt Garden, is a carefully manicured garden with a changing palette of colors, shapes, and textrues. Because formal parterres are typically associated with the elaborate designs of the Victorian era, a garden type was a natural choice to complement the ornate architecture fo the adjacent Smithsonian Castle. Throughout the year, layers of colorful plantings are meticulously laid out in symmetrical patters that are redesigned every few seasons. Designs incorporate such motifs as diamonds, fleurs-de-lis, scallops, and swags.
Title: Smithsonian Gardens
Credit: http://www.gardens.si.edu/our-gardens/haupt-garden.html
Author: Eric Long, Smithsonian Institution photographer
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No