The U.S. Capitol Grounds feature a collection of more than 4,800 trees throughout the entire 274-acre Capitol complex. Trees were heavily used in Frederick Law Olmsted's design of the U.S. Capitol Grounds to frame the Capitol Building and to provide shade for visitors, creating a natural landscape as opposed to focusing on individual plants or formal gardens. His design still drives all landscaping decisions on the grounds today, including the placement and selection of trees.
The placement of the largest trees is designed to hide views of the Capitol except from specific angles that show off the building's architecture at its most majestic and inspiring vantage point. Olmsted used large deciduous shade trees throughout his design, and low-growing evergreen shrubs were used along the base of the West Terrace of the Capitol. Some exotic trees from across the world have been introduced over time as gifts, such as the cherry trees given by Japan in 1912, and as honor (memorial or commemorative) trees.