The Landscape Architect’s Guide to

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens

Your Guide

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are a tranquil oasis located on the Anacostia River in northeast Washington D.C. The distinctive 8-acre gardens were established post-Civil War on marshy lands purchased by war veteran Walter Shaw. As a hobby, he conducted extensive research on the cultivation of water lilies and eventually started a business showcasing and selling the hybrids he created. After barely averting a dredging plan in 1938, the gardens became part of the National Park Service and have remained relatively unchanged.

Today, the gardens and adjacent marshes are home to a large variety of rare and native water plants, are a spectacular attraction for the city, and continue to contribute to the botanical research of water plants.

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The First Pond

After walking the open winding gravel entry path, the first pond appears through the tree canopies just beyond a series of small wetland gardens. On a hot summer day, the woodlands, water gardens, and the marsh provide a cool micro-climate escape from the nearby urban street-grid.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-002

A Unique Ecosystem

The small, man-made starter ponds along the entrance path give you the first peek at what is to come at Kenilworth. Unique ecosystems of water plants, fish, birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles thrive within each individual pond. Over 30 different soil types can be found throughout the gardens, impacting the types of plant materials that can thrive in each pond.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-003b

Historic Greenhouses

The historic greenhouses built in 1913 to propagate water lilies remain and are currently under renovation to return them to use. The rustic wood greenhouse entryways and brick or concrete chimneys tell the story of the sacred historic environment.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-004

A Grid of Geometric Ponds

The edges of the shallow ponds are defined by lawn or gravel paths created on the raised dikes surrounding the gardens. Each geometric pond is laid out in a loose grid that forms the overall garden. There are multiple ways to enter and navigate the grid so each visitor decides which path they want to explore.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-005

Nature in an Organized Form

Within the gardens the urban outskirts become a distant thought. The surrounding views reveal nature in an organized form within the garden and nature left to its own course in the Kenilworth Marshes beyond.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-007

The Blue Lotus Effect

The large textured green blue lotus leaf repels any water that hits its surface, forcing droplets together into one point of collection, demonstrating the lotus effect. The veins of the wax covered leaves branch out in a radial pattern from a central point where one stem holds each leaf up on a pedestal.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-008

Stages of Bloom

The serine lotus flowers delicately hovering above the murky water ponds are a spectacular display and can be seen throughout the summer months in their various stages of bloom, from the closed buds to the open flowers. When the pedals fall, the plant is left with the seeded pods that look like mini showerheads. When the pods dip their heads, they release into the water to begin the next cycle of plant life.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-009

The Marshes

The Kenilworth Marshes surround the Aquatic Garden on three sides, buffering the site from the sometimes taxing environment. The freshwater tidal marshes along the Anacostia River filters the water that passes through and supplies the ponds with clean water needed to support its function.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-010

A Boardwalk through the Marshes

An eco-friendly boardwalk of recycled materials extending through the marshes offers a unique opportunity to explore the mudflats and vernal pools from different vantage points. A river trail accessed from the visitor center bridges the high ground between the marsh and the Anacostia River.

Image: Adrienne McCray KA-011

A Diverse Community

The ponds and marsh provide habitats for a diverse community of flora and fauna. The dragon fly breeds in marsh lands and can be seen buzzing around the ponds. Along the edges of the water lily and lotus ponds you can also find Cypress and Birch trees, Hibiscus and Button Bush shrubs, and many other species of plants. Herons or Bald Eagles can be seen flying overhead while, toads and turtles can also be heard calling out or seen resting on a lily pad.

Image: Adrienne McCray