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N° 226 — December 18, 2024
Enjoy regular updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and our award-winning Washington Youth Garden.
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For the next two weeks, you will receive FONA Field Notes on Monday rather than Wednesday. We will resume our normal Wednesday distribution starting on January 8th. | |
It's now easier than ever to become a FONA member. Donate any amount to join or renew your membership for one year, or pledge to give monthly and support our work all year round as a Sustaining Member. There are also many tax-smart donation options. | |
As 2024 comes to a close, we are already planning how we can connect people to science, nature, and well-being at the National Arboretum in 2025. Mark your calendar now for these key spring events. We will share our full Spring Event Guide in a FONA Field Notes newsletter in early 2025. Don't forget that FONA members get early registration access and discounts for many FONA programs and events, among other perks. | | |
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Spring into School Gardening
Saturday, March 22nd
Educators can kickstart their school gardens with supplies and knowledge in the Washington Youth Garden. Educators will be able to pick up free garden supplies such as compost and seedlings, attend a short garden training, and network with fellow teachers.
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Flowering 5K
Sunday, March 23rd
Enjoy the National Arboretum’s beautiful spring blooms while running or walking the course. This race will take you past garden collections brightly colored with spring flowers, over tree-lined rolling hills, and along winding streams. FONA members will get a 20% discount on registration.
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38th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium
Saturday, March 29th | Hosted by USNA
Learn from experts about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems. This is a day-long symposium hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum. FONA members will get a 20% discount on registration.
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Native Plant Sale
Saturday, March 29th
Shop from a small number of local native plant vendors at one of the earliest plant sales in the area. This event is hosted by FONA and is held in conjunction with the Arboretum's Lahr Symposium.
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Garden Fair & Plant Sale
Saturday, April 26th
Celebrate spring at the National Arboretum! Shop from thousands of plants, browse dozens of local vendors, and enjoy free family activities. FONA members will get early admission to the Plant Sale.
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Members Make it Possible! | |
Thank you to all of the FONA members who have supported our work this past year. As a member-driven organization, your support allows us to grow in how we connect people to the National Arboretum.
For key highlights from this past year, please read the end-of-year letter from Craven Rand, FONA's Executive Director, and Martha Van Dale, FONA's new Board Chair.
Read the Executive Letter >
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Come enjoy the winter beauty of the National Arboretum this holiday season! The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM to 5 PM, except on December 25th. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is open every day from 10 AM to 4 PM, but is closed on all federal holidays from November through February and on Memorial Day. Admission and parking at the Arboretum are free.
Learn More About Visiting the Arboretum >
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Double Your End-of-Year Donation | |
Donate to FONA before the end of the year and see your impact doubled! All donations made before midnight on December 31st will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000. This generous matching fund is provided by a group of dedicated friends.
Donations of any amount help us reach our goal. When you donate, you also become a FONA member and receive special perks! Thank you to everyone who has already donated to help us fulfill this matching campaign.
Donate Today to See Your Donation Doubled >
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Photos courtesy of the National Arboretum. | |
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What is it like to work at the National Arboretum? The Arboretum is accepting applications through January 13th for its 2025 internship program.
The Arboretum's internship program offers hands-on work experience at the nation's premier public garden and research facility. Internships vary in length from three months to one year. Horticulture and archive intern positions are based out of the National Arboretum's main campus in Washington, DC. Research interns could work in the Arboretum's facilities in either Beltsville, MD, McMinnville, TN, or Washington, DC.
Horticulture Internship Details >
Research Internship Details >
Archive Internship Details >
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Did you know that FONA has funded the Arboretum's intern program for over 20 years? We are committed to supporting the next generation of horticulturists at the National Arboretum. In 2025, FONA will increase its support of the Arboretum's intern program to $120,000. That's a 50% increase from 2024! | |
Photo courtesy of the National Arboretum. | |
Photos by U.S. National Arboretum. | |
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Holly berries bring some much-needed color to the winter landscape and provide vital food to overwintering birds. Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’ is a compact selection of common winterberry, a native deciduous holly that retains its bright red berries throughout the winter.
Winterberry cultivars are clones of either a male or female plant, and the female plants flower best with a male counterpart nearby, generally at a ratio of five to ten females for every male. ‘Winter Red’ is generally planted with ‘Southern Gentleman’ or ‘Apollo’, as they bloom at the same time. Winterberries prefer moist soil and are often found in the wild in forested wetlands or along edges of ponds, lakes, or marshes. Look for winterberry ‘Winter Red’ in the Holly and Magnolia Collections.
Kamala Codrington-White, an Agricultural Science Research Technician 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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There are many tax-smart ways to support FONA before the end of the year. These can include donations of appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), gifts through donor-advised funds, and donations of the IRA required minimum distribution. Email us at donations@fona.org with any questions.
Email Us With Questions >
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New Year's Eve Forest Bathing
December 31, 9 AM, 12 PM, 2:30 PM
Meditation and mindfulness
Add Your Name to the Waitlist >
Spring into School Gardening
Saturday, March 22
Free resources for educators, in WYG
Save the date — more info coming soon
Flowering 5K
Sunday, March 23
Run or walk through collections in bloom
Save the date — more info coming soon
Native Plant Sale
Saturday, March 29
Local native plant vendors, hosted by FONA
Save the date — more info coming soon
38th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium
Saturday, March 29
Learn from experts about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems, hosted by USNA
Save the date — more info coming soon
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