Botanic Garden Pairs Living Dinosaurs with G Gauge Trains

The U.S. Botanic Garden opened its 2025 holiday presentation Season's Greening, Dino Mite on December 3, bringing together horticulture and model train display techniques in a single family oriented experience. Large dinosaur sculptures fashioned from living plant material and dried plant parts populate the outdoor gardens. T. rex, Triceratops, Velociraptor and other species appear alongside plant made versions of Washington landmarks and traditional poinsettia displays inside the conservatory.

Visitors will find a G gauge model train layout woven through mountains and scenery that echo the botanical installations. The outdoor train display operates from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on select evenings the display remains open until 8:00 p.m. The combined Dino Mite exhibit and the outdoor train display continue through January 4, 2026, with the site closed on December 25.

This presentation matters to model train fans and local families because it demonstrates a creative crossover between plant design and layout building. Scale track and rolling stock in G gauge are large enough to sit comfortably within garden vistas, and the living sculptures show how natural textures and dried materials can be incorporated into scenery. The conservatory installations provide additional inspiration, with botanical renderings of city landmarks and classic seasonal poinsettia arrangements that illustrate color and structure ideas for winter displays.

Plan visits during daytime hours for clear views of the plant sculptures and the trains running through sculpted terrain, and consider the extended evening schedule for illuminated scenes and live holiday music on designated nights. The combination of living material and model engineering makes the exhibit especially useful for those exploring durable outdoor layouts, seasonal displays, or community events centered on trains and gardens.

Season's Greening, Dino Mite is already drawing families and hobbyists alike, offering a fresh example of how model railroading and horticulture can enhance public programming and spark new ideas for layouts and seasonal presentations. Verify hours before you go and expect botanical artistry alongside hands on model train spectacle through early January.