Next week’s Dinner Under the Stars was sold out, but we just added a few more tables so you can still join us! Space is extremely limited for this event on Tuesday, September 22nd. Please sponsor a table now to secure your spot. Don’t miss this special opportunity to connect with friends, colleagues, leaders, and policymakers from across D.C. for an evening of conversations and impact at the National Arboretum. Special thanks to Bartlett Tree Experts, Danone USA, Bayer, and International Fresh Produce Association, whose leadership sponsorships made this special evening possible.

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D.C. educators, join us on Saturday, September 26th at 11:30 AM for our 6th annual Fall into School Gardening event! Learn how to plant a fall and winter edible garden and get free supplies to start growing outside with your students. We’ll have free seeds, compost, straw, and more to prepare your D.C. school garden for the fall/winter season. Come connect with other D.C. garden educators, and be sure to bring your questions on fall school gardening practices.



Register for Fall into School Gardening >

Soak up the National Arboretum's stunning fall foliage with a forest bathing session next month. Join our trained nature therapy guides on Saturday, October 17th from 9 AM to 11 AM for a tranquil exploration through one of the Arboretum’s garden collections. Our forest bathing walks will help you to cultivate your meditative focus by observing the natural world. Look closely to notice signs of the changing seasons — the vibrant hues of leaves through the canopy, or the shift in the air as temperatures start to cool.



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With the weather cooling down, fall is a great time to help out in the Washington Youth Garden! Assist with garden tasks like planting and weeding during drop-in garden volunteer hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 AM to 12 PM. Or, join us on harvest days — Thursdays from 9 AM to 12 PM — to help provide fresh produce to the local community. Fill out our volunteer interest form to get started with garden volunteering.

Volunteer in WYG >

When designing a cottage or pollinator garden, height and bloom time are key factors. Some plants are too tall, while others bloom out of time with the rest. Blue sage is a great choice for these gardens, with its middling height and extra-long bloom period. At three to five feet tall, it fills gaps between coneflowers and butterfly weed while contrasting bright warm colors with its cool blue blooms. Bees and butterflies can find flowers on Salvia azurea throughout summer and well into fall. When the flowering window finally ends, keep a foot or two of the stem when cutting back to provide nesting space for native bees. Blue sage is just as tough as it is beautiful. It tolerates drought, rocky or sandy soils, partial shade, and hungry deer. It is native to most central and southern states, but its range extends as far north as Minnesota, so it is hardy to zone 5. Enjoy the display of Salvia azurea in front of the Visitor Center next time you visit the U.S. National Arboretum.

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 perks like discounts and early access to registration. Donate any amount to become a FONA member!