What is it about the autumn that generates so much nostalgia? A season evoking such emotion somehow always manages to pass in a blur. It marks the end of lackadaisical afternoons and the start of the annual decent into the cooler, more introspective months.  The way I see it, fall is the natural steward of the New Year. We begin afresh: in school, in season, in time. 

The outdoor preschool at the Washington Park Arboretum aims to counteract “nature deficit disorder.”

These enthusiastic, thoughtful and genuine folks are our Garden Guides for the UW Botanic Gardens Summer Camp at the Arboretum. They are charged with creating fun, educational, nature-based experiences for our campers. They have our 230 acre nature oasis to work with, their own experience and excitement to bring to the table, and a host of materials and curriculum to support their endeavors. 

Space is limited, so click here to sign up for a shift today!

What do the pre-school kids do while attending the Fiddleheads Forest School at the Arboretum? UW student Mackenzie Urquhart reports on this exciting new education program.

are going like gangbusters! Between the months of September and November, we have over 1300 kids signed up for fieldtrips.
Our guides have been loving the mild weather and teaching and learning from these budding naturalists. The Arboretum is such an amazing place to explore; all of the senses can be engaged, well, except for taste! Those of us in the field are so fortunate to be able to teach a variety of topics to kids based on what they are learning in class. 

The UWBG Kids Digital Photography Contest was a complete success! We had 12 entries, ranging from ages 7 to 16, who submitted some really incredible artwork.

We haven’t even begun our Digital Photo Contest (starts TOMORROW! August 1st), but thought we would share some of the photographs taken by the Art in the Park Campers here at the Arboretum. We are so lucky to have these budding artists on our grounds. Take a look at some of their photos.

Posted on behalf of Will Pleskow, UW student and UWBG volunteer service learner

 
I never thought weeds would be so endless and time consuming but I certainly have a new perspective on weeding after many back-breaking hours digging out seemingly endless little green plants. All of the planting and weeding that I have done and will do take place right outside the greenhouse in a secluded part of the Arboretum used for plant propagation. 

Walking through the arboretum’s forested middle area, one is greeted with bursts of color on the hybrid Rhododendrons in our collection. Within this forest understory are many of the almost 1800 Rhododendron species and hybrids in the collection. Its cool and green and quiet on these forested paths, a lovely walk on any day, but this time of year the added beauty of the Rhody flowers is a seasonal treat.