FONA & THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM
Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) was founded in 1982 as an independent 501(c)(3). FONA serves as the primary private partner of the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. We support and celebrate the science, beauty, and community impact of the U.S. National Arboretum through education, engagement, and access to nature.
Photo courtesy of the National Arboretum
Past Accomplishments
We were instrumental in bringing the Capitol Columns to the Arboretum in the early ’90s. We funded the Flowering Tree Walk surrounding the meadow so all people can enjoy its beauty regardless of ability. Our volunteers planted over 30,000 native plants along the Springhouse Run creek to improve the Anacostia River’s water quality.
Current Work
Our Washington Youth Garden is the Arboretum’s largest community outreach program. Revenue from our venue rental program funds the Arboretum Director’s Fund which pays for things like consultants, supplies, and maintenance projects. Our plant sales and seasonal festivals support our mission and connect visitors to the Arboretum.
Future Plans
We developed a new Core Master Plan that provides a blueprint for future projects around the Arboretum. We invest in the future of horticulture by funding internships that support the collections. Our Meyer Kidder Fellows will increase the Arboretum’s research capacity and connect the Arboretum with world-class post-doctoral researchers.
Donate to Join
Make a donation of any amount to become a FONA member. Or give monthly to become a Sustaining Member and support our work all year long!
Donate to Renew
Make a one-time contribution of any amount to renew your FONA membership. Or give monthly to become a Sustaining Member and support our work all year long!
David Fairchild Society
A passionate community of supporters with membership starting at $1,200.
Other Ways to Support
Support FONA through securities, donor-advised funds, planned giving, bench donations, and more.
Restricted Gifts to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Make a restricted donation to support to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. For other giving options, please contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.
NATIONAL ARBORETUM’S SCIENCE, BEAUTY, AND IMPACT
The U.S. National Arboretum is a world-class center for horticultural research, education, and innovation. It spans 451 acres in Northeast Washington, D.C., and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. The National Arboretum serves as both a horticultural research facility and a public garden.
For almost 100 years, the National Arboretum has played an important role in preserving germplasm, developing and introducing improved plants for the American nursery industry, bridging cultural connections through plant collections, restoring habitat, and more. Learn more about key accomplishments that highlight the Arboretum’s science, beauty, and impact.
Photo courtesy of the National Arboretum
STEWARDING THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL BONSAI & PENJING MUSEUM
Friends of the National Arboretum is honored to carry forward the legacy of the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF), which concluded its operations at the end of 2025 after more than four decades of extraordinary service.
Since its founding in 1982, NBF has been essential to building and maintaining the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum, fostering international goodwill and a deep respect for the art of bonsai.
FONA extends its sincere gratitude to the NBF Board and supporters for their enduring dedication to this living art form. We are deeply mindful of the trust they have put in FONA to sustain NBF’s mission to preserve and promote the art of bonsai in America. The bonsai and penjing collections will continue under the expert care of the U.S. National Arboretum’s staff, as it has since 1976. As part of this transition, NBF will transfer the majority of remaining assets to FONA to directly support the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and ongoing bonsai education. These funds will be specifically dedicated to the continued care, growth, and improvement of the museum.
This transition was the result of a request from Dr. Richard Olsen, Director of the U.S. National Arboretum, to consolidate nonprofit engagement under Friends of the National Arboretum. This unified approach will streamline communications, expand community engagement, and enrich the visitor experience, while allowing the U.S. National Arboretum to focus on horticultural excellence and discovery.
FONA embraces this new expanded role to support the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and the U.S. National Arboretum, helping them flourish in the decades ahead. If you are interested in making a restricted donation to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at this time, you can do so online through this form. For other giving options, please contact Claire Alrich at 202-918-1868 or calrich@fona.org.
AWARD-WINNING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
With a focus on serving under-resourced communities, FONA nurtures curious minds and healthy bodies by connecting youth to food, the land, and each other. Our youth education programs take place at Washington Youth Garden on the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum and in partner schools across Washington, DC. They work with DC educators to create strong, sustainable school garden programs and connect students to garden education. Our programs also provide year-round employment opportunities and green career paths for DC high school students.
STAY IN THE KNOW
FONA’s publications and newsletters share the story of the U.S. National Arboretum and FONA with the world. Our FONA Field Notes newsletter is just one of the ways we tell this story. This award-winning weekly email newsletter that shares updates and insights about the U.S. National Arboretum, Friends of the National Arboretum, and the Washington Youth Garden. Sign up to receive FONA Field Notes in your inbox. See our Publications & Media page to see a full archive of all of our publications.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Hosted by FONA
Hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum and other partners
RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Friends of the National Arboretum Instagram: @FONArboretum
Hydrangeas are essential shrubs for any garden, with lovely, long-lasting bracts and handsome foliage. While mophead hydrangeas are popular for their colorful mounds of flowers and small stature, they are mostly sterile and therefore unpopular with pollinators. Lacecap and panicle hydrangeas are much more inviting, with clumps of fertile, nectar-filled flowers surrounded by attractive bracts. The native oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, is a panicled hydrangea that does well in many gardens. However, the Asian Hydrangea paniculata is more tolerant of sun, salt and pollution. It is a better choice in colder climates, clay soils, or soils that periodically get very wet. It grows up to 25 feet tall, covered in large flower panicles with bracts that open white and turn rosy-pink over the course of the summer. The dried flowers and bracts remain intact and can be kept over winter to extend ornamental value until the following spring. Panicled hydrangeas bloom on new growth and handle pruning quite well, so they can be maintained at smaller sizes. Visit a well-pruned Hydrangea paniculata in the Asian Collections or full-sized specimens in the Dogwood and Azalea Collections at 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 using the Arboretum Botanical Explorer: https://usna.usda.gov/discover/plant-finder/ . . Photos by the National Arboretum. Alt text embedded. . . #usnationalarboretum #nationalarboretum #dcarboretum #arboretumdc #nationalarboretumdc #plantspotlight
It’s peak picnic season, and the National Arboretum is the ideal place to host your own! A picnic at the Arboretum won runner-up for best date activity in the Washington City Paper's "Best of DC" competition in 2025. The Arboretum has been a finalist in the category since 2022! When planning your picnic, please make sure you are following the U.S. National Arboretum’s guidelines. Visitors are welcome to pack their own picnics to enjoy on the grounds, or to visit on a Friday evening and grab dinner from a local food truck during Food Truck Fridays. . . 📸1: @zawesomesauce 📸3: @wisteria_woman Alt text embedded. . . #usnationalarboretum #nationalarboretum #dcarboretum #arboretumdc #nationalarboretumdc #dcfoodtrucks #dcfoodscene #dcfoodies #dcpicnic #dcpicnics #picnicdc
Evening Yoga this week is FREE! Join us this Wednesday, June 24th from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM for a free beginner-friendly yoga session with @bikramyogaworks under the beautiful tree canopy of the Arboretum. This program is part of FONA’s Wellness Wednesday series, held throughout the summer during evening hours. This event is free, but registration is required. Grab your spot before it's gone at the link in bio! . . Alt text embedded. 📸2: Bluebird sky yoga . . #usnationalarboretum #nationalarboretum #dcarboretum #arboretumdc #nationalarboretumdc #outdooryogadc #outdooryoga #yogadc #yogadmv #outdooryogadmv
Try out a local food truck at FONA's Food Truck Fridays! Every Friday during evening hours, food trucks will be posted up by the Visitor Center from 5 PM to 7:45 PM. Enjoy tacos, funnel cakes, hot dogs, ice cream, and more! Vendors rotate weekly- view the full food truck schedule for the summer on our event calendar: #Calendar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://www.fona.org/events_programs/#Calendar Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Arboretum’s grounds, Visitor Center, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, and restrooms are OPEN today! This summer's food vendors: @frostysofty @tacodirtytome @doscarnalesfoodtruck @lattimoresfunnelcakes Dogs On The Curb . . 📸2: Kelsey Cochran @wisteria_woman Alt text embedded . . #usnationalarboretum #nationalarboretum #dcarboretum #arboretumdc #dcfoodtrucks #dcfoodscene #dcfoodies #nationalarboretumdc