Are you a fan of Monet’s water lily paintings? Then consider cruising up to Frederick, Maryland, this weekend to see a similarly dreamy tableau with your own eyes.
Now in its third year, Color on the Creek—a project that installed lilies, lotuses, and other water plants to limit the growth of algae on Carroll Creek—is in full bloom. According to Color on the Creek’s chairman, Peter Kremers, the Frederick water garden—with some 1,800 plants—is now six times the size of Monet’s famed garden in Giverny, France. The garden, which is free to see, runs through the heart of lively Frederick, home to interesting shops and good restaurants.
Although there are blooms at all hours, including at night, Kremers says that the best time to visit is between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. or noon, when every plant is in full flower—the day bloomers open around 8 or 9 a.m, while the night bloomers, which come alive at 7 p.m., stay open until 11 a.m. or noon.
Can’t make it this weekend? The garden will continue to grow larger, and remain at peak, for the next three weeks. In fact, there will be something in bloom until the first frost, in late October or early November.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
