In March of 2020, in-person gatherings were shut down as the COVID-19 pandemic had just begun. Program offerings at our gardens and all over the world ceased, but the demand for educational opportunities only increased while people diligently stayed home. Flash forward two months, the UW Botanic Gardens offered our first ever adult education class on a virtual platform. Unsure of how the class would go, all 29 people registered for the previously planned in-person class “Gardening with the Seasons: Spring,” logged onto Zoom. 

1)     Acer palmatum ‘Nuresagi’                                                     Japanese Maple

Now that the vivid colors of the emerging foliage of Japanese Maples have faded, it is time to appreciate the summer beauty of the sometimes, very colorful samaras (winged achene containing the maple seed).
Not all Japanese Maples produce showy samaras, but some cultivars are known specifically for this.
Acer palmatum ‘Nuresagi’ (“nuresagi” translates to “wet heron”) is located at the edge of the Upper Woodland Garden Pond. 

As we look forward to the warmth of the summer, let’s take a moment to appreciate one of the first berries that ripens in our region – salmonberry. The scientific name is Rubus spectabilis and is appropriately named for its showy flowers and berries. The genus Rubus is derived from ruber, the Latin word for red, while spectabilis is Latin for spectacular, notable, or showy. 

The peninsula north of the Linden Parking Lot (#16) is sometimes referred to as the Lagoon.  Enjoy these trees while walking, birding, viewing wildlife, or boating.
1)     Nothofagus antarctica                                                 Antarctic Beech

This tree is native to southern Chile and Argentina.
A deciduous tree with shaggy bark and small glossy leaves can be found north of the canoe launch.
It was once believed to be the southernmost growing tree on Earth until 2019, when a Nothofagus betuloides was found on the same island just slightly further south on Hornos Island, Chile. 

Here’s a small peek at a few of the many plants here at the Washington Park Arboretum that are showing off their unique spring features.
1)                 Cercis canadensis                                                   Eastern Redbud

One can’t help but admire this small, often multi-stemmed flowering tree as its glowing, purple-pink buds break out in spring through early summer.
With stunning cultivars such as ‘Appalachian Red’ and ‘Forest Pansy’ being highlighted in botanic gardens and arboreta, popularity has soared over the past several decades. 

On Tuesday, March 23rd, Arborist Shea Cope found himself swaying 30 feet high on the Osprey nest pole near the Loop Trail at Union Bay Natural Area. He had climbed to the top of the pole using first a ladder and then tree-climbing spurs. Now he called down to his arborist colleague, Clif Edwards, “Send up the gourds.”

Attaching two specially-prepared gourds to a system of wires and pulleys, Clif sent them flying up. 

The next time you treat yourself to a walk through the inviting grounds of UW Botanic Gardens, take a moment to appreciate that the flowers and trees play an important role in scientific research–with implications for plants and research institutions all over the world.
“We get requests for plant materials from researchers and institutions about 10 times a year,” reports Raymond J. 

If you missed our peak magnolia bloom, you can extend their beauty virtually here enjoying several wonderful photos of a few of my personal favorites.  Many thanks to both Niall Dunne – Arboretum Foundation Communications Manager and Bulletin editor, Ray Larson – UW Botanic Gardens Interim Director and Skylar Lin – PSGO aerial photographer for sharing their extraordinary photos capturing these magnificent magnolias in bloom! 

Sometimes it takes a while to unravel the mystery of seeds; other times they present no mystery at all. Take showy stickseed (Hackelia venusta) seeds as an example of the former. The germination ecology of showy stickseed was for years a mystery. Traditional propagation techniques using cold stratification yielded poor germination rates. Researchers experimented with various scarification techniques (altering the seed coat by weakening or creating an opening) and gibberellic acid, a plant growth hormone, to stimulate germination. 

It’s an early winter morning at the Center for Urban Horticulture greenhouse. While the sun considers rising, Sarah Shank greets her seedlings. Fueled by a passion for growing plants and her first cup of coffee, she describes her quiet mornings watering rare native plants as the perfect way to begin her workday. The current plants she tends to, Astragalus sinuatus (Whited’s milk-vetch) and Eriogonum codium (Umtanum buckwheat), she grew from seed and each day begins with observing them.