Buy your Christmas tree, wreaths, and garlands hassle-free this year. Pick up your pre-ordered tree or purchase one on-site during our Christmas Tree Sale located at the New York Avenue parking lot.

Procrastinator’s Holiday Market

December 11 ONLY: 10 AM – 4 PM

Saturday only! Featuring gifts and goodies from local vendors, family-friendly arts and crafts, and holiday train rides! We’re partnering with Bladensburg Road Main Street to bring you all the best vendors for last-minute shopping.

Give the gift of FONA this holiday — purchase a FONA membership, Washington Youth Garden honey, or a one-of-a-kind Arboretum Christmas ornament! We have limited quantities, so come early.

Are you a local artist or craftsperson? Apply to be a vendor by December 4th and join the fun!

Vendor application

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.

Washington Youth Garden

Many of our programs are held in our 1-acre demonstration garden. The crops here include a pollinator garden, a sensory garden, an orchard, an outdoor classroom, and lots of vegetable beds. Much of the produce we grow here is used in our programs; extra produce is distributed to our school garden communities and area food banks.

Family Programs

Throughout the growing season we have programs for families like our annual Garlic Planting Party and Family Garden Days. These events provide opportunities to play games, dig in the dirt, plant the first of next year’s crops, and enjoy a day outside celebrating the successes of our growing season. These programs are on hold due to COVID-19.

Resources

Whether starting your first home garden or looking to improve your school garden, you should look at our favorite garden resources. Virtually tour our garden with Farmer Jake and our greenhouse with Farmer Emilia, or visit our distance learning resources and garden resources webpages to find out more.

School Garden Programs

We support local teachers and schools in growing and maintaining sustainable, integrated school gardens that serve as an outdoor science classroom, a living nutrition lab, and a creative space to get in touch with nature. We do this through our Garden Science partnerships, the Summer Institute for Garden-based Teaching, and the Educator Coaching Program.

Green Ambassadors Program

Our GAP interns grow, prepare and eat healthy produce, learn about green jobs, lead student field trips, improve their communication skills, and experience an incredible outdoor summer. For those interested in continuing their garden education and leadership skills development, we also offer an academic year Guild program.

SPROUT Field Trips

When it resumes post-COVID, our field trip program will invite pre-K through high School students from all over the Washington metro area to visit our demonstration garden site for a ninety-minute interactive garden science experience based on one of many themes. This program is on hold due to COVID-19.

Visit the Washington Youth Garden homepage

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RECREATION & CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Whether you are admiring decorative plants, helping a curator pull invasive weeds, or just enjoying the sights and sounds of nature at night, our recreation and conservation programs offer new ways of engaging with the Arboretum.

Daytime Forest Bathing

Connect with nature while exploring the grounds. During this two-hour program, our certified forest bathing guides invite you to reflect on the world around you and guide you through focused meditations. Each event explores new collections to highlight the Arboretum’s unique seasonal diversity. See calendar below for dates and times.

Photography Workshops

Hone your nighttime photography skills by learning through sunset and sunrise photo workshops at the National Arboretum. Learn from the experts and register for a class with Capital Photography Center. See calendar below for dates and times.

Full Moon Hikes

Explore the National Arboretum’s collections by moonlight on this two-hour guided hike. Learn about the collections’ unique history as you experience the Arboretum’s horticultural research in action. This program is on hold due to COVID-19.

Full Moon Forest Bathing

Ease your stress and worry and improve your well-being by the light of the full moon. Our certified forest bathing guides lead you through focused moonlit meditations in the Arboretum’s Herb Garden, Ellipse Meadow, and Capitol Columns during this two-hour program. This program is on hold due to COVID-19.

VIRTUAL EVENTS

In our Digging In virtual event series, we host experts to discuss exciting topics pertaining to the National Arboretum’s mission. As a FONA member, you can attend the events live and dig in with the experts.

Recorded: Creating Forest Gardens

Want to take your sustainable gardening to the next level? Forest gardens are a form of permaculture that integrates edible trees and plants into landscapes. They produce an abundance of food and supplies while also restoring healthy forest ecosystems.

Join us as we dig into the principles of forest gardening with Lincoln Smith, founder of Forested. With a background in agronomic science and sustainable landscape design, Lincoln shares forest gardening fundamentals and examples from Forested and other projects.

Recorded: Understanding Organic Lawn Care

Spring is here, which means it’s time to give your lawn some extra TLC! Happy lawns play a big part in maintaining healthy ecosystems. From soil health to water quality, lawns impact the environment far beyond your yard. But what does it mean to go organic?

Join us as we explore organic lawn care with Mary Travaglini of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Learn how you can maintain an organic lawn without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, understand soil health, and discuss organic soil amendments.

Recorded: Eagles at the National Arboretum

There’s been some drama this spring in the bald eagle nest on Mount Hamilton. Interlopers have been ruffling feathers and the male, Mr. President, may even have a new First Lady. What will all this mean for eagle chicks this spring?

In the recording you will hear from experts Sue Greeley from the U.S. National Arboretum, Dan Rauch from DC Department of Energy and the Environment, and Dr. Robyn Miller from the American Eagle Foundation.