Washington D.C. The Mary Livingston Ripley Garden is a Smithsonian garden that endeavors to expose visitors to a wide variety of plants and inspire people to expand their plant palette. This jewel box of a garden is just steps from the National Mall. Garden visitors who wander up the brick paths will experience a profusion of color, texture, and fragrance.
Whether you are planning a trip to the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, or are just interested in seeing it from afar, this post will take you through the Ripley Garden to experience its beauty and creativity. A Garden Travel Guide to the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden is located at the end of the post to assist you in planning your trip.
What to see in the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden
Destined to become a parking lot in 1978, the talented Mrs. Ripley persuaded the Smithsonian Women’s Committee to support a garden instead. Hail Mary! Today, this is a beloved garden popular with visitors and local residents alike.
A stately fountain courtyard stands as a centerpiece. Paths lead to alcoves off to the sides. There is an element of delight when rounding the corner to find refreshingly original combinations of plants or urns overflowing with flowers.
Inspired by a garden for the blind in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Mary Livingston Ripley envisioned the space as a sensory garden. Raised plant beds provide all visitors with multiple viewpoints.
A profusion of flowers delights at each turn. Tastefully placed vignettes create interest. Plant palettes invite study. Textures intrigue. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Who was Mary Livingston Ripley?
The multi-talented Mary Moncrieffe Livingston Ripley (May 11, 1914 – April 15, 1996) was a horticulturist, entomologist, photographer, and scientific collector. She was born into a prominent New York family. Her father, Gerald Moncrieffe Livingston, was the governor of the New York Stock Exchange and bearer of the Livingston pedigree.
Mary met her future husband, Sidney Dillon Ripley in Sri Lanka, and they married in 1949. Sidney Dillon Ripley II served as secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for 20 years. He is credited for leading the institution through its greatest growth and expansion.
However, the lasting legacy of the beautiful Ripley Garden belongs to Mary Livingston Ripley.
Visitors Guide to the Mary Ripley Livingston Garden
850 Jefferson Drive Southwest, Washington, DC, USA The garden is located between the National Mall and Independence Avenue. Look for it between the Arts and Industries Building and the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Museum.
How to Best Experience the Ripley Garden
Bring your camera and/or a sketchpad. Study the plant combinations, the textures, and the whimsical touches for ideas to take home to your garden. This is a small garden, but it packs a punch.
I recommend entering the garden from the Mall and following the meandering paths out toward Independence Avenue. Discover the nooks around the fountain courtyard.
Parking at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden
Limited on-street parking is available in areas near the gardens, including reserved spaces for visitors with disabilities. You can book guaranteed parking in nearby garages in advance with ParkWhiz.
Public transportation is encouraged. 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.
Mary Livingston Ripley Garden Hours
Amazingly, the garden is not gated and is open to the public 24/7. Admission is FREE.
What restaurants are near Mary Livingston Ripley Garden?
Dolcezza
This is a destination coffee stop 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 is a work of art. Grab a coffee and gelato from the 20-foot metal coffee bar and sit, or more appropriately marvel, at tables made of glass-topped cross-sections of wood from a 700-year-old tree.
Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Ave SW & 7th St SW, Washington, DC 20560. 367 feet (a 1-minute walk) from the Mary Ripley Livingston Garden. Free admission to enter the museum and lobby.
Pavilion Cafe
For something to drink in a beautiful setting, head across the mall to the Pavilion Cafe. Enjoy a beverage in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and explore the garden afterward. Although I don’t recommend the food, the Pavilion Cafe serves American-style food and offers Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, and Gluten-Free Options.
9th St and Constitution Ave NW Sculpture Garden, Washington DC, DC 20565. 0.2 miles (about a 4-minute walk) from the Mary Ripley Livingston Garden.
Where to Stay in Washington D.C.
What hotels are near Mary Livingston Ripley 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 Mary Ripley 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 Mary Ripley Garden.
Author’s Note: My recommendations are not sponsored. They are my personal experience or researched suggestions.
Other Gardens Near The Ripley Gardens
The closest Smithsonian Gardens are the Enid A. Haupt Garden, Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, and the Katherine Folger Rose Gardens, and all are 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.
Additional Resources For the Mary Ripley Livingston Garden
Learn more about the Mary Ripley Livingston Garden on the Smithsonian Gardens website.
Read about the Smithsonian Garden in this well-researched book with over 160 color photographs: A Guide to Smithsonian Gardens by Carole Ottesen.
Self-professed plant-aholic Janet Draper, the Horticulturist behind the magic at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, shares her favorite plants for creating a garden with year-round interest in this Smithsonian Video.
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