Conservatory

Conservatory. , The original concept for Brookside Gardens was to create an arboretum (a site that primarily focuses on trees and other woody plant materials); however after visiting several botanical gardens in New York plus a stop at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania in 1966, the original designers realized that a garden, as opposed to an arboretum exclusively dedicated to trees, would be most beneficial to the public. The arboretum exclusively dedicated to trees, would be most beneficial to the public. The goal was to showcase plants that can grow, and most importantly available for purchase, in the Washington DC metropolitan area. , , Because there were not any funds available to hire an architect to design the conservatory structure (an integral part of the Gardens' design), Carl Schoening, then Chief of Horticulture for the Parks, designed it himself. According to Carl, the site of the Gardens (on land that was part of Wheaton Regional Park) was selected due to its proximity to Brookside Nature Center, thus providing access for school groups; the land had previously been used as a tree nursery owned by Stadler Nursery; and there was a diverse combination of forested land, open space, undulating terrain, and a stream - all providing a varied palette on which to design a garden. This area around the Conservatories is a "frost pocket." As the lowest elevation within the Gardens, it is the first to experience frost in the fall, and the last to warm up in the spring.