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N° 112 — August 24, 2022

Stay in touch as we celebrate Washington Youth Garden's 50th anniversary. Enjoy our updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and WYG.

From left: Nan King, Shelia Hogan, Betty Casey, Barbara Deutsch, Barbara Shea. Photo from Casey Trees.

In Memorium: Betty Brown Casey

Betty Brown Casey, a DC philanthropist who was the visionary and benefactor behind Casey Trees, passed away on August 17th, 2022. She also supported FONA and the Arboretum.


Since Casey Trees began in 2001 with a generous gift from Mrs. Casey, the nonprofit has planted over 40,000 trees across DC to restore the city's tree canopy. Many of these trees were grown at Mrs. Casey's farm in Virginia.


Mrs. Casey left behind a great legacy through our city's trees.


Read More About Mrs. Casey's Legacy >

Get your hands dirty in Washington Youth Garden and volunteer with us. Volunteers provide crucial help with gardening tasks such as weeding, planting, mulching, and pest control.


We host regularly-scheduled individual volunteer hours in the garden on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from April through October.


Individual Volunteer Interest Form >


We work with groups to plan private volunteer days on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from April through October. We ask for a minimum of 10 people and maximum of 30 people per group, and can plan multiple volunteer days if your group is larger than this. Email Claire Alrich if you are interested in group volunteering.


Express Interest in Group Volunteering >

Photos from USNA Herbarium

Digging In Lecture Series

In the next installment of our Digging In lecture series, we'll talk with Dr. Harlan Svoboda, the curator of the National Arboretum's Herbarium. He'll share his team's efforts to digitize the collection of 700,00 specimens, the secrets they uncovered along the way, and why the Herbarium is important to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


Digging In will take place on Tuesday, August 30th from 12 to 1 PM. FONA members can participate in this event live as part of their member benefits. If you're already a member, keep an eye on your inbox for an invitation. Become a FONA member today to join this event and dig in with the experts.


Become a FONA Member >

Garden Poetry

Stop by Washington Youth Garden this Saturday, August 27th from 10 AM to 1 PM for a free spoken word poetry workshop. This event is part of a series using the spoken word to celebrate garden spaces in the DC area. It is hosted by Dalila Brooks in partnership with FONA.


Learn More and Sign Up for the Event >

School Garden Newsletter

Want to receive school garden resources directly in your inbox? Sign up for our School Garden Gateway newsletter! Our education program team compiles resources just for you and your school garden. Learn garden maintenance tips, class activities, WYG events, and more!


Sign Up for School Garden Gateway >

From our Friends: The Herb Society of America

During The Herb Society of America's August webinar series on August 30th at 1 PM, staff from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens will share the story and success of the Olbrich Indigenous Garden.


Webinar Details and Registration >


The Herb Society of America is a fellow National Arboretum stakeholder and very involved with the National Herb Garden. The local Potomac Unit hosts many events at the Arboretum open to the public, including a Chili Celebration on October 8th.


Learn More About the HSA Potomac Unit >

Rita Peters and Erin Presley from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens will present on August 30th. Photo from The Herb Society of America.

Upcoming Events

Dinner Under the Stars

September 20, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Cocktails and dinner in the Meadow

Details & Tickets >


Fall Festival & Bulb Sale

October 1, 10 AM - 2 PM

Unique bulbs and family activities

Details & Tickets >


Garlic Planting Party

October 29, 11 AM - 2 PM

Fall planting and crafts in WYG

Details & Tickets >


Fall 5K

November 12, 9 AM

Run or walk through stunning fall foliage

FONA Members, use your discount code

Register for the Race >

Procrastinator's Holiday Market & Tree Sale
December 10, 9 AM - 4 PM
Shop local vendors and holiday greenery
Save the date — more details coming soon!

Yoga
Sundays this fall, 10 AM - 11 AM
Find your flow with Bluebird Sky Yoga
FONA Members, use your discount code

Forest Bathing
Various dates and times
Meditation and mindfulness
The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM to 5 PM except December 25th. Some buildings and collections remain closed to ensure visitor and staff safety.
CONNECT WITH US:
@FONArboretum
@WashYouthGarden
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Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.544.8733
FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.

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