N° 203 — June 26, 2024
Enjoy regular updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and our award-winning Washington Youth Garden.
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Pardon the dust! Earlier this week, the National Arboretum began renovating the circle garden in front of the Capitol Columns. Horticulturists will first remove the existing plants before remediating the soil and replanting the garden. Plant removal might take many months — or even a year or more — since aggressive invasive species have encroached into the bed.
Visitors can still take pictures and walk around the Capitol Columns during renovation, but please do not walk in the circle garden during this time. The area near the reflecting pool and Ellipse Meadow will remain open and clear of renovation.
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We are delighted to share with you FONA's recently published 2023 Annual Report. Each year, our programs and support of the National Arboretum grow stronger. This allows us to better connect people with nature, the land, and each other at the Arboretum.
Check out the 2023 Annual Report to see all we accomplished last year! Read the Letter from the Directors to hear key takeaways from Craven Rand, FONA's Executive Director, and Dr. Richard T. Olsen, U.S. National Arboretum Director. Plus, see all the members, donors, and supporters who made this work possible — we couldn't do this without them!
Read the 2023 Annual Report >
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Catch a break from the summer heat and enjoy the Arboretum's first Summer Evening Hours this Friday, June 28th! The grounds will stay open to the public until 8 PM. This is free for all, and is made possible by FONA and the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.
These evening hours are also a great way to connect with others in the Arboretum community. We're hosting a first-ever Member Social from 5 PM to 8 PM at the koi pond outside the Visitor Center. Enjoy refreshments, a family-friendly activity, and connect with other FONA members. This is a free, drop-in opportunity for all FONA members!
Don't forget — Summer Evening Hours and Member Socials will be held on the 4th Friday of every summer month from June through August. We hope to see you there!
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With last week's summer solstice and the continuing high heat, FONA's Washington Youth Garden is in full summer mode. Garden Managers Xavier and Emilia are most excited about the tomatoes and cucumbers growing in WYG this summer. From trellising them to eating them, Xavier and Emilia get the most joy out of caring for these plants. Stop by WYG to see their unique trellis techniques in action — they work well in home gardens, too! | |
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This is also the first growing season with the recently completed perimeter fence. The Washington Youth Garden has grown by over 30% thanks to this new fence! The Garden Team has filled this new space with flowers, cover crops, and cultural herbs like papalo from Mexico, molokhia from Palestine, and Okinawa spinach from Japan.
Xavier and Emilia have noticed that lots more people are discovering the Washington Youth Garden thanks to this new fence. Stop by the garden during your next visit to the Arboretum — there's something for people of every age to discover and enjoy.
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Photo by U.S. National Arboretum. | |
The Arboretum is home to seven different species and five hybrids in the genus Yucca. These plants are native to the Western Hemisphere and have had significant value to both Indigenous people and wildlife. Yucca filamentosa, commonly known as curlyleaf yucca, is a useful species native to the East Coast, with edible fruits and flowers, and leaves that have been used in fishing by the Cherokee people. It is also a host plant to native giant-skipper butterflies and yucca moths.
In the garden, curlyleaf yucca can thrive in hot, dry sand and is resistant to browsing, salt, and pollution. Cream-white bell-like flowers grow on tall spikes that rise above its clump of tough, grass-like foliage. At the National Arboretum, striped and dwarf cultivars can be found in the Introduction Garden and the wild type grows in the Gotelli Collection.
Kamala Codrington-White, an ORISE fellow at the National Arboretum, shares plants of note at the Arboretum in this recurring segment. Find these plants on your next trip to the Arboretum.
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The Dojo Studios, in partnership with FONA, will host a free photography workshop at the National Arboretum this Friday, June 28th from 11 AM to 3 PM.
This class is open to all ages and skill levels, and will focus on natural light photography and storytelling. Cheriss May, a renowned photographer known for her work on Capitol Hill and with national newspapers, will lead the workshop.
Event Details & Registration >
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4th Fridays Summer Evening Hours
June 28, 5 PM - 8 PM
July 26, 5 PM - 8 PM
August 23, 5 PM - 8 PM
Arboretum grounds stay open to the public
Movie in the Meadow:
The Hidden Life of Trees
July 20, 8 PM - 11 PM
Outdoor movie in the Ellipse Meadow
More Info & Tickets >
Community Fishing
August 24, 9 AM - 12PM
Free fishing along the Anacostia
Save the date — registration coming soon!
Dinner Under the Stars
September 17, 5:30 PM - 9 PM
Cocktails & tented dinner in the Meadow
Purchase a Ticket or Table >
Forest Bathing Walks
Various dates and times
Meditation and mindfulness
Upcoming Dates & Registration >
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