Washington D.C. It’s hard to imagine that the Enid A Haupt Garden is built on a rooftop. The four-acre public garden was built on the roofs of three other museums, but you’d never know it from looking around.
The Haupt garden is tucked behind the Smithsonian Castle and features a Parterre, a Moongate Garden, and Fountain Garden. Meticulously laid out, uncovering each garden is like finding a treasure.
Whether you are planning a trip to the Smithsonian Enid A Haupt Garden or just interested in seeing it from afar, this post will uncover the hidden treasure. To assist in planning your trip, a Garden Travel Guide to the Enid A Haupt Garden is located at the end of the post.
Haupt Garden Parterre
The Parterre is the centerpiece of the Enid A. Haupt Gardens. The palette and shapes in this manicured garden are redesigned with the seasons, giving frequent visitors something new.
The word Parterre in French (par terre) means “on the ground,” and in Italian (partire), it is “to divide.” The effect is a colorful flower carpet.
The plants are changed with the seasons. Low-growing plants are meticulously manicured to form a symmetrical design of diamonds, sways, and scallops.
Haupt Moongate Garden
The Moongate Garden is inspired by the gardens and architecture of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. Its quintessential elements are water and stone, symbolizing the spirit and body of the earth.
Massive nine-foot blocks of pink granite stand on each side of the entrance and frame the view beyond. The garden is strikingly simple in design.
The pool is paved with black granite, giving the illusion of depth. The water reflected the sky from all angles; the same can be said of the moon at night.
Haupt Fountain Garden
The Fountain Garden is modeled after a 13th-century Moorish palace and fortress in Granada, Spain. The garden includes a central fountain and water channels, suggesting a walled paradise.
The fountains were off when I visited, so the effect was lost.
Here’s what you can expect to see if you visit when the fountains are running:
- The garden’s centerpiece is a single jet that shoots water eight feet in the air.
- Twelve jets send water through channels in the low walls to cool the air.
- A terraced stone ramp slopes to form a waterfall (called a chadar), cooling the air while reflecting the water.
The sound of the water would muffles the street noise creating an oasis in the Fountain Garden. Potted tropicals further added to the effect.
The benches along the Fountain garden path (see below) provide an inviting place to sit. The circular design of the windows mimics the shade of the Moorgate.
Who was Enid Haupt?
Enid A. Haupt (1906 -2005) was an heiress to a family fortune. Her father, Moses Annenberg, founded a publishing empire based on The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily Racing Form.
With her fortune, she made significant contributions, and foremost was horticulture.
“Nature is my religion.”
Enid A Haupt
Her contributions to horticulture are numerous:
- Development of her namesake garden, the Enid A. Haupt Garden on the south side of the Smithsonian Institution Building, was made possible with her backing.
- She donated funds to the American Horticultural Society to purchase River Farm, a plantation near Mount Vernon once owned by George Washington.
- With her intercession and funding, she saved a victorian style conservatory in the New York Botanical Garden from demolition.
- To maintain the garden of The Cloisters outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she donated large sums of money.
- She contributed to the garden of Claude Monet in Giverny, France.
- And she supported Lady Bird Johnson’s National Wildflower Research Center.
The president of the New York Botanical Garden described Enid A Haupt as:
“the greatest patron American horticulture has ever known”
Gregory Long
Enid Haupt passed away at age 99 at her home in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Additional Resources
Learn more about the Enid A. Haupt Garden on the Smithsonian Gardens website.
Read about the Smithsonian Gardens, including the Haupt Garden, in this well-researched book with over 160 color photographs: A Guide to Smithsonian Gardens by Carole Ottesen.
Visitors Guide to the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden
1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20560. The garden is located behind the Smithsonian Castle and off Independence Avenue.
How to Best Experience the Enid A Haupt Garden
Enter the garden from Independence Avenue. The Renwick garden gates will be directly in front of you, creating a grand entrance.
Beyond the gates, the colorful Parterre Garden commands the scene with the Smithsonian Castle as a backdrop. This is a favorite spot for taking photos.
Moving to the left, about 1/2 along the Parterre, you will see the Moongate entrance. Take some time to sit and enjoy the tranquility of the garden.
On the other side of the Parterre is the Fountain garden. The coolness of the water will be a welcome break if you visit in the summer.
Be sure to walk along the Arts and Industry Building on the east side to admire the container plantings utilizing a colorful array of tropical plants.
Enid A Haupt Garden Parking
Public transportation is encouraged. Limited on-street parking is available near the gardens, including reserved spaces for visitors with disabilities. You can book guaranteed parking in nearby garages in advance with ParkWhiz.
The gardens are a 5-minute walk from the L’Enfant Plaza stop and a 5-minute walk from the Smithsonian stop. View a map of the closest Metro stations.
Enid A Haupt Garden Hours
The gardens are open from dawn until dusk every day except December 25 and are FREE to visit.
Where to Eat at the Haupt Garden
The Castle Cafe
A small cafe is located inside the Smithsonian Castle. This is a convenient place to pick up something to drink if you want to sit in the gardens for a bit. I don’t recommend the food.
1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, Washington, DC 20560-0008 Inside the Smithsonian Castle in front of the Enid Haupt Garden. 10 am – 4 pm Wed-Sun, closed Mon-Tue.
Dolcezza
This destination coffee stop is in the Hirshhorn museum lobby. Come for locally sourced and handcrafted gelato, specialty espresso drinks, and gourmet pastries. Admire the stunning contemporary setting designed by world-renowned artist Hiroshi Sugimoto.
The coffee shop and lobby are a work of art to behold. Grab a coffee and gelato from the 20-foot metal coffee bar and sit, or more appropriately marvel, at tables made of glass-topped wood from a 700-year-old tree.
Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Ave SW & 7th St SW, Washington, DC 20560. It’s about a 3-minute walk from the Enid A Haupt Garden. Open seven days a week, 10 am – 5 pm.Free admission to enter the museum and lobby.
What hotels are near Enid A. Haupt Garden?
Hilton Washington DC National Mall
Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf features a rooftop terrace and puts you just a 5-minute drive from National Mall.
480 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024. 0.34 (7-minute walk) from the Enid A Haupt Garden
Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall
Popular in this area is the Holiday Inn Washington Capitol. Bonus: It is pet friendly.
550 C St SW, Washington, DC, 20024. 0.5 (9-minute walk) from the Enid A Haupt Garden.
Author’s Note: My recommendations are not sponsored but are my personal experience or research suggestions.
Other Gardens Near the Enid A Haupt Garden
The closest Smithsonian Gardens are all within a 1 -2 minute walk.
There are 13 Smithsonian Gardens near or on the National Mall. For a complete list of locations, see 13 Smithsonian Gardens You Can Enjoy for Free.
Recent Posts
Museums for All in Botanical Gardens and Arboretums Blooming with Access
Museums for All is an initiative that allows individuals and families receiving food assistance (SNAP EBT - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefit Transfer) to gain free or...
San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas, CA: The San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas is a 37-acre sanctuary about a 30-minute drive north of the city of San Diego. Just a mile from the Pacific...