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N° 174 — November 22, 2023
Enjoy regular updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and our award-winning Washington Youth Garden.
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As we count down the days until Giving Tuesday (November 28th), can we count on your to help us "grow the garden"? When you donate to FONA's Grow the Garden campaign on Giving Tuesday, your donation will be doubled thanks to a $50,000 matching gift.
With your support, we will renovate the Washington Youth Garden's perimeter fence to make it more inviting and expand the growing area. The new fence will also add a front entrance to create a central entry point facing the road.
Get a head start on Giving Tuesday by donating today, or join us next week for this global day of giving.
Help us 'Grow the Garden' >
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Get outdoors this holiday and come visit the National Arboretum! The Arboretum is open on Thanksgiving day (and every day of the year except Christmas on December 25th) from 8 AM to 5 PM.
There's so much to explore during late fall at the Arboretum, from flowering camellias to vibrant dawn redwoods and more. Use the Arboretum's mobile app for timely inspiration on what to see, to look up trees, or to view a map of the grounds. Download the app for iOS or Android platforms.
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There’s so much we are thankful for at FONA. This week, we want to extend our gratitude to the teachers and school staff who bring garden-based education to life across the District.
This year, 113 educators from 49 schools connected with FONA to engage their students through hands-on garden education. This was primarily through field trips in the Washington Youth Garden, the Educator Coaching Program, and school garden events.
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Many teachers give of their free time to go the extra mile. They create garden-based lessons and find more resources because they see the difference it makes for their students. We are grateful to all the teachers who have sought out FONA's programs and partnerships. But we particularly appreciate those teachers who continue to do this work on their own, beyond our programs.
One teacher shared: “I partnered a few years ago with the [Washington] Youth Garden. You inspired me to continue the planting unit for life cycles. My students really enjoy planting veggies every year. Once upon a time, we would only plant lima beans and flowers, but after partnering with you for Grow@Home kits, my students really enjoyed planting their own veggies and I wanted to continue this.” This teacher has continued to expand their planting lessons for 2 years now. Thank you to all our teachers who keep sharing a passion for plants with the next generation.
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Bottom photo by Marie Joabar. | |
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FONA's holiday events are right around the corner! Stop by the Winter Festival on Saturday, December 2nd from 10 AM to 4 PM. Shop from over 30 local vendors and find the perfect gift for everyone in your life. There will be vendors selling plants, garden accessories, art, clothing/fiber goods, jewelry, beauty products, food, drinks, and other gifts.
DC Child Care Connections is also hosting free holiday-themed, family friendly activities geared towards children ages 2 to 12.
Learn More About the Winter Festival >
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You can also shop for holiday greenery at the Christmas Tree Sale on Saturday, December 2nd and Sunday, December 3rd from 10 AM to 4 PM. Saturday's sale will take place right next to the Winter Festival. We will have Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands for sale. Pre-orders are available to guarantee we reserve a quality tree for you.
A portion of all sales directly supports FONA through this annual fundraiser. When pre-ordering, you must select "Friends of the National Arboretum" as the fundraising partner at checkout to ensure your purchase supports FONA.
Pre-Order Your Holiday Greenery >
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Call for Event Volunteers | |
We're looking for volunteers to help with our Winter Festival on December 2nd, and the Christmas Tree Sale on December 2nd and 3rd. Fill out our FONA volunteer interest form and we will reach out soon to learn about your availability.
Volunteer Interest Form >
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Dawn redwood ‘National’ (Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘National’) was selected for its shape from seeds brought to the National Arboretum from Nanjing, China. Its pyramidal growth habit and soft leaves that turn rust-orange and drop in the fall make a statement in the landscape. A dawn redwood is a good choice if you need to quickly fill a large space, so make sure you can accommodate one before planting it. Metasquoia glyptostroboides is an endangered species, so a commercial cultivar like ‘National’ is going to be more widely available to consumers than the straight species plant. You can find the original accession in the Introduction Garden, Gotelli Conifer Collection, and Azalea Collections.
Kamala Codrington-White, an ORISE fellow at the National Arboretum, shares plants of note at the Arboretum in this new recurring segment. Find these plants on your next trip to the Arboretum this fall. Photo by the U.S. National Arboretum.
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