No doubt many of you trekked down to the Tidal Basin this weekend to check out the cherry blossoms during their peak bloom (which is predicted to last until Thursday). As many rightly feel, this area is the height of “D.C. scenic,” with the gorgeous trees lining the waterside and the Jefferson and Washington Monuments in view.

Of course, along with the ubiquitous scenic view are thousands and thousands of visitors roaming the Basin area during the weeks of bloom, and maybe some of you would like to enjoy the pink flowers of early spring with a little more quiet reflection and fewer screaming children scrambling over tree limbs. So we were interested to come across this post at the Washington Gardener Magazine blog with a list of local alternatives to view the cherry trees.

The National Arboretum is always a good choice for any kind of plant viewing, but some other locations off-the-beaten path include the Kenwood neighborhood in Bethesda, for what Washington Gardener calls a “stunning display,” and Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, where you can stroll around and check out the trees for $8. Be sure to bring your camera and post your favorite shots in our Flickr pool.

Photo of cherry blossoms in Kenwood by sandcastlematt