Many arboretum
programs require advance registration. Please refer to complete program
descriptions.
You can now register either online or by mailing in a completed form.
Click here to begin the registration process.
For registration information, call 202-245-4521; or use this form.
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Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai
May 23-June 17, 10:00am-4:00pm
National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Special Exhibits Wing
Breathtaking blossoms cover these late-blooming azaleas, miniature in form, but covered with full-sized flowers. This annual spring exhibit showcases the most spectacular examples. Free. No registration required.
Power Plants Exhibit
June 1-October 15, 8:00am-5:00pm
Arboretum Grounds
Walk-through Power Plants Exhibit and explore a variety of plants that offer alternative energy possibilities. The garden exhibit showcases living plants and provides educational information about how they can serve as sustainable agriculture-based renewable energy sources.
Power Plants Exploration Game
Discover our new Power Plants Garden (see article above) and bring your school-aged children to play a game of plant exploration designed for just them. The game will lead them through the exhibit and illustrate the different ways plants play a role in creating new sources of fuel. Pick up the game brochure in the Visitors Center, walk across the street to the garden, and return your game card to the front desk when complete. A small prize will be awarded to those who answer the questions. Children age 10 and under might need adult assistance. Free. No registration required.
Living Garden Catalog
June 1-October 4, 8:00am-4:30pm
U.S. National Arboretum Administration Building Lobby and Gardens
Explore the latest trends in ornamental gardening in this unique exhibit of what’s hot in horticulture. Begin inside where a photo gallery introduces you to some of the nursery industry’s most intriguing new plants. Pick up a checklist to mark your favorites, then use it outside in the courtyard gardens to find the plants in designed beds. Don’t wait for the catalogs to arrive in the winter—discover what surprising new flower colors and tempting new forms will be available while they’re in their full glory in the garden! Free.
Full Moon Hike
June 4, 8:00pm-10:00pm FULL
June 5, 8:00pm-10:00pm FULL
June 6, 8:00pm-10:00pm FULL
Arboretum Grounds
Five-mile-long, mildly strenuous hike through moonlit gardens, meadows and woods. Guides share points of special interest and seasonal highlights. The two-hour walk over hilly and uneven terrain is more of a brisk hike than a tour so wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. Not recommended for children. Fee: $19 ($15 FONA) Registration required.
Potomac Hosta Club Show and Sale
June 13, 1:00pm-4:30pm
June 14, 10:00am-3:00pm
Administration Building Auditorium
Browse through hostas of every imaginable color, size, and form at this judged show. Choose from an extensive selection of the popular small and mini types and some brand new varieties at the sale. Take an informal tour through the show with an expert grower who will explain the judging and answer questions. Presented by the Potomac Hosta Club. Free. No registration required.
Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibit: The Legacy of Mary Sugiyama
June 20 and 21, 10:00am-4:00pm
Demonstration: June 21, 1:00pm
National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Special Exhibits Wing
Ikebana artists from throughout the US and Japan present this exhibit as a tribute to their teacher, the late Mary Sugiyama. Ms. Sugiyama was a revered teacher and the former Executive Director of the North America branch of the Sogetsu School of ikebana. Sogetsu ikebana is based in the Japanese tradition of flower arranging, but is recognized as a modern style that encourages individuality and imagination. Attend a free demonstration on June 21 at 1:00 pm. Free. No registration required.
Under the Arbor: “Good Scents”
June 20, 1:00pm-4:00pm
National Herb Garden
Come to this drop-in session “under the arbor” in the National Herb Garden to learn about one of the many uses of herbs. This session features a demonstration on the art of making a tussie-mussie, also known as a nosegay. A nosegay is a small, round, hand-held bouquet made from a cluster of fresh, fragrant herbs and flowers. For centuries these bouquets have been used for tasks ranging from masking unpleasant odors to conveying romantic messages. This demonstration is presented by Members of the Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America. Free. No registration required.
Full Moon Hikes:
The arboretum does not schedule Full Moon Hikes for July or August.
Registration for hikes in September, October, and November
will begin when the hikes are posted here on July 31.
Power Plants Exhibit
June 1-October 15, 8:00am-5:00pm
Arboretum Grounds
Walk-through Power Plants Exhibit and explore a variety of plants that offer alternative energy possibilities. The garden exhibit showcases living plants and provides educational information about how they can serve as sustainable agriculture-based renewable energy sources.
Power Plants Exploration Game
Discover our new Power Plants Garden (see article above) and bring your school-aged children to play a game of plant exploration designed for just them. The game will lead them through the exhibit and illustrate the different ways plants play a role in creating new sources of fuel. Pick up the game brochure in the Visitors Center, walk across the street to the garden, and return your game card to the front desk when complete. A small prize will be awarded to those who answer the questions. Children age 10 and under might need adult assistance. Free. No registration required.
Living Garden Catalog
June 1-October 4, 8:00am-4:30pm
U.S. National Arboretum Administration Building Lobby and Gardens
Explore the latest trends in ornamental gardening in this unique exhibit of what’s hot in horticulture. Begin inside where a photo gallery introduces you to some of the nursery industry’s most intriguing new plants. Pick up a checklist to mark your favorites, then use it outside in the courtyard gardens to find the plants in designed beds. Don’t wait for the catalogs to arrive in the winter—discover what surprising new flower colors and tempting new forms will be available while they’re in their full glory in the garden! Free.
Exhibit: Becoming a Bonsai
July 4-August 31, 10:00am-4:00pm
National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Special Exhibits Wing
How is a tree made into a bonsai? See the steps involved in creating a bonsai, and witness how a common crapemyrtle is transformed into a charming bonsai through pruning, wiring, and repotting. The exhibit also includes artifacts from the museum’s collection, including tools used by bonsai masters Toshio Kawamoto, John Naka and Yuji Yoshimura. Free. No registration required.
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Last Updated June 8, 2009 5:11 PM
URL = http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html