Grab your ticket for our last Music in the Meadow concert of the year this Friday, September 6th! Enjoy a gorgeous evening in the Ellipse Meadow as you listen to Rochelle Rice's beautiful blend of jazz, folk, and soul music.

The Arboretum's R Street entrance will remain open after 5 PM, but only the National Herb Garden, Ellipse Meadow, and Capitol Columns will be open to attendees. The New York Avenue entrance and all other parts of the Arboretum will be closed.

Tickets are required for this event — please purchase them online in advance. FONA staff and volunteers will check all tickets before the event. Our requested ticket price is $25 (or $20 for FONA members), but please pay what you can to attend. Children 12 and under are free, but tickets are required.

Purchase a Concert Ticket >

Thanks to the National Arboretum's expertise in propagating plants, the legacy of Stumpy, a beloved Tidal Basin flowering cherry tree, will live on. Stumpy was one of 158 cherry trees that were removed from the Tidal Basin earlier this spring so the National Park Service can repair the sea wall.

According to Arboretum horticulturist Piper Zettel, five of the clippings taken from Stumpy earlier this year have successfully been propagated into self-sustaining plants. Once Tidal Basin repairs are complete, the National Park Service hopes to replant these trees to replace those that were removed.

Read More about Piper's Propagation Success >

Registration is now open for fall field trips to the Washington Youth Garden! FONA's Science Program Reaching OUT (SPROUT) field trips encourage students to explore the garden through activity stations and their own curiosity.

Learn More about SPROUT >

Field trips are available from September 16th through November 15th on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and on Friday mornings and afternoons.

Reserve a Field Trip >

The votes are in! According to voters across D.C., the National Arboretum and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum are some of the best places to be outdoors and connect with nature in the city.

In this year's Best of DC contest, the National Arboretum won first place for Best City Escape in the City for the second year in a row!

The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum also took home first place for the Best Place to Meditate and the Best Place of take an Out-of-Towner. The Arboretum at large was a runner up and finalist for these two categories, respectively. The Washington Youth Garden was a finalist for the Best Kid-Friendly Attraction, and the Arboretum was a finalist for the Best Date Activity.

Thank you to all who voted this year! This contest helps people all across the city discover the Arboretum and all it has to offer.

See Who Was Voted Best of DC >

Don't miss your chance to apply to work at the National Arboretum. The Arboretum is hiring a Public Horticulture & Engagement Unit Leader at the GS 14 level. This leadership position will guide the development of horticultural and educational displays and exhibits that align with the Arboretum's research and outreach priorities.

This position is based out of the Arboretum's main D.C. campus. Applications will close this Friday, September 6th.

Apply for this Job >

The 1980 Sino-American Botanical Expedition is responsible for the introduction of many Chinese plants to the American garden, as well as improving the relationship between China and the United States during a tense time. Many plants on the U.S. National Arboretum grounds were grown from plants collected during this and subsequent expeditions, and they are valuable representatives of their species. One such group of plants is the seven-son flower, which was distributed by the USNA and Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum and grows in the China Valley section of the USNA’s Asian Collections.

Heptacodium miconioides is a rare plant in the wild, but descendants of those collected seeds can be found in the American plant trade. This plant has a two-part display, producing white flowers in seven-part inflorescences in late summer, then giving way to showy red calyxes in the fall. After the leaves fall, the attractive exfoliating bark can be admired. Heptacodium miconioides is an interesting alternative to the crape-myrtle, and cultivars are starting to emerge that provide a more compact form or earlier bloom. Plant seven-son flower in a sunny spot of your pollinator garden as a specimen plant, where it will withstand most soil conditions as long as the drainage and moisture levels are good.

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. Top two photos by U.S. National Arboretum.

Music in the Meadow: Rochelle Rice

September 6, 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Outdoor concert with jazz, folk, & soul vibes

Purchase a Ticket >

Fall into School Gardening

September 14, 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Free resources for educators, in WYG

Learn More & Register >

Community Fishing

September 15, 1 PM - 4 PM

Free fishing along the Anacostia

Add Your Name to the Waitlist >

Dinner Under the Stars

September 17, 5:30 PM - 9 PM

Cocktails & tented dinner in the Meadow

Purchase a Ticket or Table >

National Public Lands Day

September 28, 11 AM - 1 PM

Free family activities in WYG

Learn More & Register >

SoulFULL Vegan Fest

October 13, 11 AM - 4:30 PM

Plant-based food, live music, speakers

Learn More & Register >

Bulb Sale & Garlic Planting Party

October 26, 11 AM - 2 PM

Edible & ornamental bulb sale, free family crafts, fall planting in WYG

Save the date — more details to come

Fall 5K

November 10, 8:30 AM

Run or walk through stunning fall foliage

Race Registration >

Winter Festival

December 7, 10 AM - 4 PM

Holiday market, food trucks, and free kids activities

Save the date — more details to come

Christmas Tree Sale

December 7 - 8, 10 AM - 4 PM

Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands

Save the date — more details to come

Forest Bathing Walks

Various dates and times

Meditation and mindfulness

Upcoming Dates & Registration >