The following was submitted by Angela Williams, one of five UW student interns who worked with us this past spring through the Carlson Leadership Center. Angela and co. were tasked with transforming the long neglected “Back 40” located between Plant Donations and the Greenhouse at the Arboretum into a vegetable garden…
“As a student majoring in public health nutrition, I’ve worked in many food-related service learning/volunteering positions in the past several years. 

Director Sarah Reichard invites you to come visit UWBG as often as you can – the gardens and natural areas we manage are free to all, so whether it’s respite and relaxation you seek, a quiet walk in the woods, the beauty of what’s blooming, or the splendid colors of fall, UW Botanic Gardens offers you magnificent nature experiences year-round.

Things certainly ramped up since my last post on here hence the absence of updates, but it’s been a busy past few months here at the Center for Urban Horticulture Grounds. There are several exciting new projects underway and our regular summer regiment is in full swing with regular volunteers that have helped what is now a two person crew to oversee all of CUH Grounds since our third colleague left. 

Marilyn Smith Layton has created a book of images called Seasons of Lifein the Union Bay Natural Area, and she is donating the profits from the sale of the book to projects in UBNA. The cost of the book is $60, and $20 of that will go to help the natural area.
You may purchase a copy in the Miller Library (cash or check only). 

Hydrangea involucrata ‘Tama Azisai’
Lonicera xylosteum (Fly honeysuckle)
Magnolia virginiana var. australis
Rhododendron degronianum ssp. yakushimanum
Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis

Complete details. 

Acer macrophyllum ‘Kimballiae’ (cut leaf Oregon maple)
Lithocarpus densiflorus (tanbark oak)
Neolitsea sericea
Styrax obassia (bigleaf snowbell tree)
Trochodendron aralioides (wheel tree)

Complete details. 

Are you a conscientious gardener?
How up-to-date are you on pest and invasive plant management, peat and vermiculite, water conservation and coexistence with native animals? Dr. Sarah Reichard, Professor and Acting Director of the UW Botanic Gardeners, has just made it a whole lot easier to garden responsibly with her 2011 book, The Conscientious Gardener: Cultivating a Garden Ethic.
Reviews of the book:

New York Times recommended summer gardening reads
Seattle garden writer and former Miller Library manager, Val Easton’s review in the Seattle Times. 

Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)
Lonicera ciliosa
Lonicera maackii var. erubescens
Lithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides (Dwarf Tan Oak)
Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’ (Hybrid Goldenchain Tree)

Complete details. 

May Fieldtrips
The two days that GROW high school students visited CUH and
the UW Farm were full of sunshine. Students from Susan Barth’s horticulture class at Nova High School and students from Jessica Torvik’s horticulture/ecology classes were introduced to resources for their GROW projects through scheduled tours and activities. Maggie Roses’ science classes from Ingraham focused on working with Lisa
Haglund and Patrick Mulligan on the site prep and plant installation in the
newly restored storm water garden at CUH. 

Join in the public meeting for the North Entry and Multi-use Trail projects for the Washington Park Arboretum on Wed. June 8, 2011 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Graham Visitor Center in the Arboretum.