With more manageable temperatures, fewer crowds, and nary a cherry blossom in sight, now is just about the perfect time to bask in the glories of our own city.

In all my time doing Photo of the Day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of the outside of the U.S. Botanic Gardens, like this one by mosley.brian. Usually a lovely reflective night shot like this is the Kennedy Center, but we’ve been happy to see quite a few of our photographers head towards the gardens once the weather turns cold. It’s open all year long and a fantastic way to get…

Good morning, Washington. Yesterday afternoon Roll Call had the story of a potential suspect finally being identified in all those strange Senate bathroom fires from the last few months. Capitol Police Officer Karen Emory recently has been suspended in connection with the fires, although it still hasn’t been confirmed whether she is definitely a suspect in the case. No charges have been filed, but color us a little disappointed if it turns out a…

The United States Botanic Garden is a favorite summer destination, and the list of reasons to visit has gotten longer. In a recently opened exhibit, Celebrating America’s Public Gardens, the nation’s most important public gardens have sponsored mini-displays in two sections called Green Today, Growing Tomorrows (in the National Garden, at the Mall end of the grounds) and A Sense of Place (on the Conservatory Terrace, facing Capitol Hill). In the latter exhibit, each garden’s…

Here’s a fantastically colorful image to kick-off our long weekend. Flickr user firegal took a few shots of this boat filled with amusing glass art in, from her vantage point, what we assume is the Botanic Gardens (but we know you’ll correct us in the comments if we’re wrong). We’re crossing our fingers our three days are filled with as much sunshine (and boats – there should be boats!) as this photo. EXIF….

Happy May Day, Washington! Though you may be celebrating it as International Workers’ Day, I grew up seeing it as a marker that the winter’s last frost was behind us and a long, lazy summer lay ahead. Eye Captain’s photo of the Botanical Garden’s “Sunset Boat” by Dale Chihuly strikes me as particularly springtime-y. Has everyone taken a stroll through the new outdoor space at BoGa? Pop across the street to the newly refurbished…

Good morning, Washington. Today will be cloudy and cool with a 60 percent chance of rain in the afternoon. Today the National Zoo is releasing the first tickets to the general public to catch a glimpse of the baby panda – go to their website and get yours, if you can. If you work on the hill the AP is reporting the smoke which caused an evacuation of the Rayburn House Office Building this morning…

Taking advantage of last weekend’s unseasonably warm weather to visit some sites at the National Mall last weekend, we were curious to discover a rather long line at the U.S. Botanic Gardens. It turns out the attraction of note was their annual holiday exhibit, “Home for the Holidays: A Sentimental Journey,” which “recalls the post-World War II holidays when families were reunited, a peaceful future beckoned, and celebrations had developed a distinctly American style.” The…