Posts by Anne McGarvey

Community Connections at the Arboretum & Beyond

Have you heard the exciting news? FONA will host the Fall 5K at the National Arboretum this Sunday, November 9th! FONA has been given a very special opportunity by the U.S. Department…
commemorative bench in the azalea collections in fall, formatted as a newsletter banner

Tasty Turnips

Many fruits and vegetables with rich cultural connections to our D.C. community grow in the Washington Youth Garden. The hakurei turnip is one such vegetable growing in the garden right now. The hakurei…
bee on fall flower in herb garden, formatted as a newsletter banner

Taking a Moment to Remember

It is with heavy hearts that we share news of Scott Aker’s passing on October 13, 2025. Scott joined the National Arboretum’s team in 1992, and spent 30 years sharing…
sunset over the arboretum's water garden surrounding the visitor center, formatted as a newsletter banner

Decades of Dedication

When Harold Belcher was a teenager growing up in Cheverly, Maryland in the 1960s, the U.S. National Arboretum became his haven. “I would ride my bike all over and wander…
capitol columns in fall, formatted as a newsletter banner

Career Spotlight: Susan Bentz

Career Spotlight: Susan BentzBy Bridget DeSimonePublished October 8, 2025Have you ever admired the soft, sweeping branches of a hemlock tree and then wondered why so many once verdant canopies are…
Horticulturist Susan Bentz and gardener Thomas Abell plant cuttings from disease tolerant elms. Photo by Scott Bauer.

Appreciation & Program Pivots

The National Arboretum remains closed due to the lapse in federal funding. FONA is doing what we can to support the Arboretum, our program partners, and our community. Our SPROUT…
the capitol columns at dusk through, as seen from the national herb garden, photo by josh peterson

Government Shutdown & Nature Connections

The U.S. National Arboretum is currently closed due to the lapse in federal government funding, and will reopen once Congress restores funding. The National Arboretum is a horticultural research facility administered…
path through national herb garden in late summer, formatted as a newsletter banner

Fall Vibes & Big Smiles

In early September, FONA hosted our 29th annual Dinner Under the Stars at the National Arboretum. We were honored to have Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Representative…
four bonsai trees growing on a slate slab, formatted as a newsletter banner

Fall Event Guide

Fall is in the air as the weather cools and the days get shorter. Soon, the U.S. National Arboretum’s trees will brim with bright autumn colors and animals will migrate…
fall pink and white flowers blooming in the herb garden

In Good Company

This past weekend at the National Arboretum was filled with garden connections and groovy jams. At our Fall into School Gardening event in the Washington Youth Garden, dozens of D.C.…
fall anemone in bloom, formatted as a newsletter banner
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