We are deeply saddened to share news of the passing of Bobbie Alexander, former Executive Director of the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF). For years, Bobbie worked tirelessly as a champion for the National Arboretum’s Bonsai and Penjing Museum and for the art of bonsai more broadly. Bobbie’s genuine love for bonsai was apparent to all those who knew her, including current and former FONA staff members who were fortunate to have worked with Bobbie over the years.

Former NBF chair and current FONA Board Member Jim Hughes described her as “talented, tireless, tenacious. As Executive Director of the National Bonsai Foundation, she offered decades of experience and was a partner I could always depend on. Day or night, workday or weekend, she was dedicated to NBF and its mission.” We remember Bobbie not only for her fierce advocacy for bonsai preservation, but also for her witty sense of humor, her warm presence, and her deeply generous heart.

This past weekend’s Potomac Bonsai Festival was a bittersweet reminder of Bobbie. She was an integral mover and shaker in every part of this festival, from provisioning resources to bring the festival to life to managing intricate logistics like mapping out event signage. As we watched visitors’ eyes light up at the beautiful bonsai, we were moved to see Bobbie’s legacy live on through the festival and all who visited the Museum. She will be missed tremendously by all at FONA and in the National Arboretum community. Please consider making a tribute gift in Bobbie’s honor to help the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum continue to thrive.

Read Bobbie Alexander’s Obituary >

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Experience the National Arboretum’s most treasured living collection in a new light during the Spring Soirée on Friday, May 29th. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is a living, breathing museum with 300 bonsai and penjing specimens spread throughout three pavilions. Join FONA’s Board of Directors and friends from across Washington, D.C. for an unforgettable evening surrounded by these miniature horticultural masterpieces. Enjoy delicious food and drinks, live music, and great moments of connection as you explore the Museum at dusk.

This event is not only a chance to gather with friends and neighbors at the National Arboretum, it’s also a chance to invest in FONA’s support of the National Arboretum. Your ticket directly funds FONA’s mission to support and celebrate the science, beauty, and community impact of the National Arboretum. Purchase your tickets now to this special event!

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Go-go music is a genre woven into the fabric of Washington, D.C. We’re thrilled to have local legends Scooby DaGodSon and Sirius Company show off the evolution of go-go music in the District at our Music in the Meadow concert on Friday, June 5th. 

Sirius Company masterfully blends go-go with R&B, hip-hop, and soul to create a modern twist on the go-go sound. Audiences can expect a high-energy show featuring call and response interactions and infectious rhythms you’ll want to get up and dance to! Whether you’re a hardcore go-go fan or new to the genre, come out to experience the magic of go-go in its birthplace.

General Admission tickets cost $25 for adults, and a limited number of $15 Community Access tickets are available. Children under 12 enter free. All tickets must be reserved in advance — no door sales. This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Experience azaleas in a new way at the National Arboretum’s annual exhibit, Azalea Bonsai: Putting on the Glitz. Colorful cultivars of late-blooming Satsuki azaleas have been hybridized in Japan for hundreds of years. This exhibit showcases the National Arboretum’s most spectacular examples in a two-week indoor display. Based on individual bloom times, trees may be on display in the outdoor pavilions before and after the indoor exhibit. The exhibit will be open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, May 16th through 31st in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

The name Satsuki (pronounced sat-ski) in Japanese means “5th-month” in the old-time lunar calendar and refers to the later bloom time – late May into June in our modern calendar. Satsuki azaleas have been a favored plant material used in bonsai for centuries. They have good branching structure, small evergreen leaves, and are small in stature. Enthusiasts love the seemingly endless variety of blossom colors, shapes, and patterns that the trees offer. In particular, the unexpected range of color patterns appearing on one plant is a highly prized trait and, to the Japanese, a reminder of nature’s unpredictability.

After our native flowering dogwoods pass their peak, the Kousa dogwood enters the spotlight. They bloom densely over attractive dark green foliage, their star-shaped bracts stealing the show. They are tougher than the flowering dogwood, tolerating more sun, drought, cold, and are resistant to more diseases. Despite being native to East Asia, Cornus kousa supports our specialist dogwood bees. They are also a popular nesting site for birds, which eat the sweet red or orange fruit. In the off-seasons, its colorful fruit, exfoliating bark, and nice leaves contribute to the beauty of any garden. There has been extensive Kousa dogwood hybridization, and variegated and pink-bracted cultivars are available from nurseries. Visit the Dogwood Collection and the Asian Collections for spectacular displays of this tough dogwood.

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. Photos by the National Arboretum.

See our calendar for a list of all of our upcoming events and programs. FONA members get member perks like discounts and early access to registration. Donate any amount to become a FONA member!