Among snow-dusted headstones and luscious evergreen trees, the Arlington National Cemetery horticulture team and grounds crews have been hard at work, keeping the cemetery looking its best and brightest—even in the blustery winter months.
“There’s a lot of beauty here in the winter months, with or without the snow,” said Kelly Wilson, ANC’s horticulturalist, who oversees landscaping and gardening.
Trees that spend the spring and summer months covered in leaves reveal their branches and unique bark in the winter. ANC’s urban forester Greg Huse, who manages the grounds’ trees and shrubs, mentioned that the winter months often provide more opportunities to care for the many trees throughout the cemetery. “When the leaves are gone, you can see the architecture and structure of a tree, which is very helpful when pruning a tree,” he said. “It’s easier to influence its growth habits or see any broken branches.”
Wilson spends the winter months gearing up for spring. “Things will really kick off at the end of February,” she said. She emphasized the importance of creating visual beauty during all four seasons. Planning diversity in the landscaping and choosing plants is a months-long process, Wilson explained. In each season, ANC’s horticulture team honors our service members, families and visitors by maintaining a beautiful, serene environment.
As a Level III Accredited Arboretum, ANC is home to more than 9,000 trees, and countless plants and shrubs. This landscape serves as a living tribute to our nation’s service members and their families laid to rest here.
Visitors will find flora and fauna throughout the cemetery’s 639 acres. In the winter, Wilson’s favorite spot features a rain garden in front of columbarium courts 10 and 11. “There’s a shrub there that has beautiful red berries on it… I see birds eating the fruit,” she said. “I really like that both people and wildlife can enjoy that area.”
Huse recommends the western side of the cemetery, where some of ANC’s oldest trees still thrive. “We know that there are oak trees here that pre-date the Civil War—so they are several hundred years old, and just awe-inspiring,” he said.
In the early winter months, visitors can find persimmons, a sweet orange fruit, along Grant Drive near Section 2. In January, Chinese Witch Hazel blooms, filling Sections 32 and 37 with a vibrant yellow color, and the smell of citrus. In late winter, visitors should watch for the bright pink, blooming flowers of the Japanese Apricot tree, often mistaken for cherry blossom trees.
The horticulture team and grounds crews work nonstop to ensure the cemetery remains in its pristine condition. Their work is often performed without public visibility, but their impact never goes unnoticed. “When I first started, I was told that some of the decisions we make here could last for many decades,” said Huse. “We can make such an impact here, and that’s very rewarding.”
Our horticulture team offers seasonal tours. Keep an eye on our website, ANC explorer app and social media pages for upcoming spring dates. Meanwhile, to learn more, check out our Education Program modules: https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Themes/Memorial-Arboretum and https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Themes/Environment-at-ANC. Materials include seasonal guides to plants and wildlife, as well as lesson plans for students (and all visitors) to understand the techniques that ANC’s horticulture team uses to maintain this Level III Arboretum.