If you've ever stood in the middle of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., you can imagine what a chore it must be to cut the grass, trim the shrubs, prune the trees, and keep the flowerbeds tidy. And mowers, clippers, and trimmers for that sizable task aren't cheap, which is why Honda is being applauded for donating more than $70,000 worth of power equipment for the job.

It's difficult to miss them on the National Mall: They're dressed in yellow shirts and khaki pants or shorts, wear ball caps with the National Park Service and Trust for the National Mall logos, and heft backpacks filled with information and, if you're thirsty, water.

This year marks the centennial for Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry trees, and that adds a little extra drama to the "big question" facing organizers of the National Cherry Blossom Festival every year: Will the trees bloom on the same schedule as the Festival events? The official "peak bloom" prediction for 2012 has now been released.

Navigation around the nation's capital has often been regarded as a bit challenging for tourists, but a new app developed by the National Park Service can make a visit to the National Mall a bit easier for smart phone users.