Home»Lotuses and Lilies- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in NE Washington DC is a water garden devoted to waterlilies and water lotus. Located on the banks of the Anacostia River, it was started in the late 19th century as a private garden and, being threatened with destruction in the 1930s, was subsequently bought for the National Park Service. Its high season is July and August when the lotus and waterlilies are in peak bloom. The gardens host dozens of species and varieties of water lilies and many cultivars of water lotus, as well as native water plants. Despite having many ponds, the gardens are practically mosquito-free as dragonflies abound here. Birds, frogs, turtles and snakes are common, too. Beavers also make their presence felt as waterlily tubers are among their favorite foods! Kenilworth hosts an annual Lotus and Water-lily festival in mid-July, attended by the many Asian cultures to which the lotus is sacred.