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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >