N° 95 — April 6, 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.

The National Arboretum has implemented a temporary traffic plan through mid-May to keep the grounds safe for all visitors during an extremely busy time of year. This traffic plan impacts gate access, traffic flow, and parking.
Cause for Celebration
We’re celebrating Washington Youth Garden’s 50th Anniversary with a weekend of fun!

Saturday, June 11th, 10 AM - 1 PM
Free family-friendly birthday party in the garden with games, activities, and birthday cake. More details coming soon!
Sunday, June 12th, 5:30 PM - 8 PM
Evening benefit in the garden with cocktails, dinner, and toasts. Tickets are $150 per person.


Become an event sponsor and champion the Washington Youth Garden! Help us reach our fundraising goal and lay the foundation for the next 50 years.

Director's Corner
Dr. Richard T. Olsen, the National Arboretum's Director, recently spoke with Fox 5 DC about two spring-blooming collections that are particularly significant to the Arboretum's mission. Take a walk with Dr. Olsen through these collections:
Garden Fair & Plant Sale
Are you ready to shop till you drop at our Garden Fair & Plant Sale on Saturday, April 30th? Check out the list of plants our team of garden experts have ordered for this event:
Please note, while all of these plants have been ordered, sometimes factors beyond our control do not allow us to offer all the plants described in the lists.

Check out our full event details to learn what else the Garden Fair & Plant Sale has to offer. Register for the event to let us know you're coming!
Plants are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. FONA members get early access to the Plant Sale from 8 AM to 10 AM on April 30th. Become a member today to get first pick of these one-of-a-kind plants!
Calling All Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to help with our Garden Fair & Plant Sale. Volunteers can either assist setting up the week leading up to the April 30th event, or can help on the day of the event. We greatly appreciate all our volunteers who make this event possible! Fill out our survey to let us know when you're available to help.
Arboretum Updates
The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is awakening from its winter slumber. All the pavilions are once again open to the public! Trees that overwintered in the shelter of the Chinese Pavilion were recently moved to their "summer homes" in the Japanese and North American Pavilions, where they'll stay throughout the growing season.

Get the most out of your spring visit to the Arboretum — check out the National Bonsai Foundation's guide to spring bonsai.
Charla Wanta, FONA grant writer, and her family stand in front of Ulmus americana 'New Harmony, a U.S. National Arboretum elm introduction that grows at the J. Frank Schmidt and Son Co. headquarters.
Funder Highlight
The Frank & Evelyn Schmidt Family Foundation has generously supported FONA's Garden Fair & Plant Sale since 2009. The foundation funds this event's operational expenses in "support of horticultural research, scholarship and education." J. Frank Schmidt and Son Co., a wholesale tree nursery based in Boring, Oregon, has both funded the foundation and collaborated closely with Arboretum scientists to develop and test new tree introductions.

The Frank & Evelyn Schmidt Family Foundation plays an integral role in this event's success, and we are grateful for their continued support!
Upcoming Events
Garden Fair & Plant Sale
April 30, 8 AM - 4 PM
Plants, local products, and expert advice

Lunar Eclipse Viewing
May 15, 8 PM - Midnight
Laid-back viewing in the Meadow

WYG 50th Anniversary Weekend
Birthday Party June 11, 10 AM - 1 PM
Evening Benefit June 12, 5:30 PM - 8 PM

Summer 5K
June 25, 9 AM
Scenic race through collections in bloom
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.
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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