Conservation in Action

Few small ornamental trees offer so many attractive qualities in the landscape as the paperbark maple (Acer griseum). With its bright green leaves, coppery peeling bark, and vibrant fall color, this tree is highlighted in gardens across the country, and is specifically recognized as a Great Plant Pick for our region. At the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, we have six individual trees in our collections – one at the Center for Urban Horticulture and five at the Washington Park Arboretum.
Read moreSeattle Tilth Farm Operations Coordinator Position
Seattle Tilth Farm Works (STFW) is an educational farm incubator program that provides farmland, education, business and production support, and market access to beginning farmers with a focus on immigrants, refugees and people with limited financial resources in King County. Working in close collaboration with the STFW Farm and Education Manager, the STFW Farm Operations Coordinator is responsible for production, education and technical assistance to support STFW participants, the STFW production plot, and the STFW program administration.
Read moreVolunteer Spotlight: Kyra Kaiser

Kyra Kaiser always dreaded public speaking growing up. So you might not expect that she would end up as one of UW Botanic Gardens’ most enthusiastic tour guides at the Washington Park Arboretum, leading groups of visitors into the secret places of that 230 acre forested gem inside the City of Seattle.
Kaiser, a second year student at UW who intends to major in plant biology, leads free weekend walks at the Arboretum, a tour program with a broad focus that changes monthly according to the season and route taken.
Greenhouse Assistant Position
The UW Biology Greenhouse is looking for an enthusiastic, plant-loving undergraduate greenhouse assistant to help with plant care!
General Duties/Description: Provide plant care support for UW Biology Greenhouse collections in Redmond and at the Center for Urban Horticulture.
* Irrigate, fertilize, weed, prepare soil mixes, prune, and perform general plant care for research and teaching functions
* Plant propagation by seed, cuttings, and division
* Clean greenhouse, equipment and adjoining plant growth areas, including sweeping, pot and flat washing, and power washing
* Assist in plant records collection, including inventory, labeling, and data entry
* Use of variety of hand tools including pruning shears, shovels, saws, and rakes
Requirements:
1.
Student Spotlight: Tessarae Mercer

Tessarae Mercer is an Intern at the UW Farm this summer. The work fulfills part of her capstone (graduation requirement) for the Program on the Environment. She grew up in Vancouver, Washington before coming to Seattle to study at the University of Washington in fall of 2013. In her (limited) free time, she enjoys being out in nature, reading, and dance.
Read moreRemembering Jean Witt, Long Time Friend of the Botanic Gardens
Jean Witt, long time friend of the UW Botanic Gardens, passed away last week at age 95. She was the widow of Joe Witt, the former Arboretum Curator and Professor of Urban Horticulture and for whom the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden is named. Together, they were well known for their joint leadership in field study trips of Washington native flora and geology (Jean’s specialty).
Read moreLate Summer Pods & Flowers on Display at the Washington Park Arboretum
The deep pink flowers of Rosa corymbulosa (Chinese species rose) are followed by elongated coral-red fruit in late summer.
Read moreNursery Internships for Fall Quarter
The UW student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration’s (SER-UW) native plant nursery is located on campus at the Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH). It is a student run operation that provides plants to the on-campus restoration projects that SER-UW manages. This year, with the support of a Campus Sustainability Fund grant, the nursery is expanding by developing experiments and curriculum on plant propagation and production.
Read moreJob Posting: Montessori School Garden Teacher/Environmental Educator
School Garden Teacher/Environmental Educator for Multi-age Montessori Setting (Renton)
Compensation: $15 – 17 per hour (DOE), 16 hours per week
Cedar River Montessori School is looking for a part time (16 hrs/week) gardening teacher/environmental educator for students age 3 – 14. We have three formal gardens and 12 acres of wooded campus. Our gardens include a large vegetable garden, a pollinator garden and a meditation garden.
August Color Appears at the Washington Park Arboretum
1) Clerodendrum bungei
C. bungei is a deciduous, suckering shrub producing upright shoots and opposite, ovate, toothed, dark green leaves tinged with purple when young. Salverform, fragrant, dark pink flowers, each with five spreading lobes, are borne in rounded, terminal panicles from late summer to autumn. Native to China and a member of the family Lamiaceae, this specimen is happily spreading around the south side of bed ‘G’ on Azalea Way.
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