This weekend I’m in DC for an engagement shoot, but I had an extra day to explore. Spent the morning in the conservatory at the US Botanic Gardens and absolutely fell in love. Ever since I read the book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney as a child, I’ve had this weakness for conservatories. I love the warm, humid air, the plant and dirt smells, and the quiet hums and buzzes in the air. This garden in particular is really special. Some of you may know that I absolutely love to photograph dark green leafy things, so I was basically in heaven. There were carton flower, moss cypress, silken pincushion, tabardillo, ladyfinger cactus, papaya, whisk fern, and african milk barrel, among many others. It would have been hard to leave, if it weren’t for the tour bus loads of screaming children that showed up. I want a conservatory in Portland!