Dumbarton Oaks

This past weekend I visited Dumbarton Oaks, a historic home in Georgetown with 16 acres of sprawling gardens. It's one of those off-the-beaten-path sites that often gets overlooked by tourists and locals alike. (Case in point: I've been living here for nearly 9 years and I just got around to seeing it!)

Part of the house has been converted into a museum featuring Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art and artifacts. (Unfortunately the "domestic" side of the house is closed to visitors most of the time.) These are the only interior photos that came out ok:

This is the Music Room. All the furniture and decorations are from the Rennaissance period.

Walking in the gardens was lovely. It's a good thing we had a map - otherwise we might've gotten lost!

The Rose Garden

The Fountain Terrace

The Cutting Garden, where they cut fresh flowers for the house.

The Ellipse, with its oddly whimsical sculpted branches.

And finally, the Pebble Garden. This mosaic is made up of thousands of colored pebbles. The stalk of wheat reflects the family motto, which is Latin for "you reap what you sow."