N° 99 — May 4, 2022
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.
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Thank you to everyone who attended our Garden Fair & Plant Sale this past Saturday! We were extremely excited to host this event again after a two-year hiatus, and are grateful to the 4,000+ people who attended the event. |
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The Garden Fair is one of FONA's major fundraisers. Funds raised through this event allow us to support and promote the National Arboretum throughout the year through our advocacy, programs, and partnerships. The Garden Fair also allows us to directly share about plants, gardening, and the Arboretum's mission. Thank you for supporting our work.
We'd love to hear how we did so we can make this event even better next year. Please fill out our event survey if you attended this weekend's Garden Fair.
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We are extremely grateful for our hard-working Garden Fair volunteers. This event is not possible without their dedication, gardening knowledge, and love of plants.
Interested in volunteering at next year's Garden Fair, other FONA events, or in our Washington Youth Garden?
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Our SPROUT field trip program is off to an amazing start! Since mid-April, we have hosted nine hands-on, garden-based field trips to over 240 students in the Washington Youth Garden. These experiences have covered topics such as composting, pollination, and nutrition.
Our pollination-themed trip has been the most popular so far. This is not surprising given the return of spring, and with it, all sorts of early-blooming flower varieties! On this trip, students play the role of a pollinator and enact the process of pollination in the form of a relay race, help hand-pollinate some of our crops, and visit our beehive to learn all about the farmer’s favorite pollinator and taste some of the honey produced on-site!
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We’re also offering pre- and post-trip virtual lessons for the first time this year to prepare students for their field trip and analyze what they’ve discovered after their visit. We have already seen the benefits of these efforts with several groups demonstrating a level of understanding that has allowed us to provide more in-depth exploration than we might have otherwise.
While we won't offer SPROUT field trips this summer or on weekends, please reach out to education@fona.org if you are planning a group outing during that time and are interested in having a less-structured experience in the garden.
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Register today for our Summer 5K on June 25th to take advantage of early-bird pricing! Early-bird pricing until May 15th is $40 and includes a race t-shirt. Standard pricing after May 15th is $55 and does not include a t-shirt (FONA members check your email for the member discount code).
Whether you're running for speed or walking the course, join our 5K race and enjoy the National Arboretum in its summer splendor.
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Eastern box turtles will soon be on the move at the National Arboretum as their breeding season begins. Although eastern box turtles are the most common box turtles in the eastern United States, their populations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia are declining and are considered a "species of conservation need."
If you see a turtle on the road at the Arboretum, please slow down and carefully pass them.
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Lunar Eclipse Viewing
May 15, 8 PM - Midnight
Laid-back viewing in the Meadow
WYG 50th Anniversary Weekend
Birthday Party June 11, 11 AM - 1:30 PM
Evening Benefit June 12, 5:30 PM - 8 PM
Summer 5K
June 25, 9 AM
Scenic race through collections in bloom
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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.
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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
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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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