WASHINGTON — This holiday season, visitors will have the chance to see dozens of National Parks, monuments and historic places re-imagined. Starting Thanksgiving Day, the U.S. Botanic Garden opens its living holiday exhibit paying homage to the National Park Service.

As a model train winds its way under Mt. Rushmore and past Mt. Vernon, U.S. Botanic Garden Director Ari Novy points out some of the 50 monuments and national historic places made exclusively of plants.

“Choosing the buildings and the parks, we really wanted to get as much diversity across the country as possible,” Novy said.

Surrounding the calming pools of the U.S. Botanic Garden stand the monuments and memorials of the National Mall, made of sycamore leaves, lotus pods and pine cone scales.

The free exhibit, open through Jan. 2, is a fitting tribute to the centennial celebration of the National Park Service, said Mike Litterest with the National Park Service.

“They seem to have captured the entire landscape of the Grand Canyon down to the story of Fort McHenry and the Star Spangled Banner. It’s amazing,” Litterest said.

The annual exhibit takes a year to produce, according to Novy, who said the theme this year was chosen based on the NPS 100th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation.

Throughout the gardens, there are more than 30 varieties of poinsettias showcasing old and new colors, forms and sizes of the plants.

In the West Gallery, an active Old Faithful sits beside Old Faithful Inn, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Nearby stands a massive Christmas tree decorated with the National Park Service in mind in its themed ornaments.

The U.S. Botanic Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most Tuesdays and Thursdays in December, the museum is open until 8 p.m. for live season music concerts and after-dark holiday exhibit viewing. Learn more about the events here.