“It was probably the largest request we’ve ever received, which really speaks to the breadth of our collection and that we can grow so many kinds of trees in our temperate climate,” says Larson.

UW Botanic Gardens welcomes Dr. Christina Owen as Director, starting September 13, and School of Environmental and Forest Sciences Professor Dr. Josh Lawler as the new Faculty Director.

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. 

Fred Hoyt, UW Botanic Gardens Director and Orin and Althea Soest Chair for Urban Horticulture, has announced he will retire at the end of January, 2021. Please join us in showing our appreciation for Fred’s service and congratulating him on his retirement.

While many of us are working from home, we are finding new ways to connect with our community remotely and provide you with resources as you garden and explore nature in your own spaces.

The UW Botanic Gardens is a member of the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC), a network of botanic institutions whose mission is to prevent the extinction of U.S. native plants. The CPC was founded in 1984 and operates the only national program of ex situ conservation of rare plant material in coordination with 40 leading botanic institutions. They maintain the National Collection of Endangered Plants with over 1,400 species represented and also conduct research, restoration, education, and advocacy programs. 

We are delighted to announce several new courses offered through our restoration professional education series. These programs are developed with support from the Northwest Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, under the guidance of a committed network of professional restoration practitioners actively engaged in restoring habitats in the Pacific Northwest. We hope you can join us for these exciting new learning opportunities! 

Professor Sarah Reichard has passed away while leading a garden tour in South Africa.

Now it’s easy to access select archive documents.

Thinking about visiting Cuba? Why not go on a guided tour with a bird-loving plant expert and UW Botanic Garden Director, Sarah Reichard?