Today we visit a hidden gem of Washington, D.C.: the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, an oasis of ponds filled with lotuses and waterlilies. This unusual National Park – the only aquatic gardens that are a National Park – were first dug in the 1800s by a Civil War veteran.

This week, we’re celebrating the arrival of spring with new and classic stories about unusual gardens around the world.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with washington.org.