This piece was written by Kate Doughty, junior, as a reflection on her involvement with the UW Farm.
Growing Food and Farmers

The UW Farm program grows many vegetables—over 6 tons were produced this season—but more importantly it grows farmers. Yes, I’ve learned a lot about plants and growing food—the difference between an allium and a brassica, hypogeal and epigeal germination, what the ratio of carbon to nitrogen should be in a functional compost heap. 

 
1)    Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii  ‘Profusion’  (Beautyberry)

Native to western China.
Ornamental purple berries on display in autumn months.
Specimen located north of the Wilcox Bridge by the parking lot.

 
2)    Gaultheria mucronata    ‘Rubra’

Native to southern Chile.
Formerly known as Pernettya, this particular variety has carmine pink berries.
Specimen is located in the Chilean Gateway Garden.

3)   Grevillea victoriae    ‘Marshall Olbricht’

Native to Australia. 

By Audrey Wennblom
At long last, the Arboretum Loop Trail (ALT) appears to be just a few months away from the start of construction. “Right now, it looks like the tentative start date would be late spring 2015,” said Raymond J. Larson, Curator of Living Collections for the UW Botanic Gardens. “The idea is to start after most of the rain has passed and to do construction over the drier months.’’
Depending on the the bids received, Larson said the project may be done in two phases. 

For many years, Lake Washington and correspondingly, Union Bay, had quite variable levels throughout the year.

After a long, sunny summer our Beautyberry ‘Early Amethyst’ looks spectacular.

When asked what homeowners should do with leaves falling from trees growing in city gardens, Chris Watson, Washington Park Arboretum Arborist definitively stated, “it depends!” Is the best mulch for a tree its own leaves? Or does that spread disease and pests? Chris Watson gives an expert’s point of view.

1)   Euonymus hamiltonianus subsp. sieboldiana                      (Siebold’s  Euonymus)

Native to the eastern Himalaya 1
Ornamental seed pods on display in autumn months 2
Specimen located in the Spindle Tree Collection

 
2)   Illicium henryi      (Henry Anise Tree)

Native to western China 1
Red summer flowers turn to star-shaped fruits in autumn
Specimen located along Upper Trail near the Asiatic Maple Collection

3)   Lithocarpus henryi      (Longleaf Chinquapin)

Native to central China 1
Notable for “laurel-like, narrow, glossy leaves” 2
Specimen located along the Lower Trail near the Sino-Himalayan Hillside

4)   Osmanthus yunnanensis      (Chinese Osmanthus)

Native to southern China 1
“Less cold-hardy” than other Osmanthus species in Seattle 2
Specimen located in the Sino-Himalayan Hillside

5)   Polyspora kwangsiensis      (Fried Egg Plant)

Relative of the Camellia and Stewartia 1
Camellia-like flowers appear in autumn 1
Specimen located along Upper Trail near the Camellia Collection

 
1 Bean, W. 

The Liquidambar styraciflua, or Sweetgum, is one of autumn’s most brilliantly colored trees. See it in full glory at the Arboretum.

Here at the UW Farm, we are very invested in building a strong community with the participants of the Farm. This community doesn’t stop after you graduate. We love checking in with students who have graduated to see what they’re up to now. Once a month, we will be posting profiles of UW Farm alumni.
Name: Kay Chai
Graduation Class: 2014
Major in Psychology (B.S)
Minor in Philosophy

How were you involved with the Farm? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1)   Franklinia alatamaha

Native to the Alatamaha River, Georgia, and discovered in the late 18th.
Genus contains just one species, and has long been extinct in the wild. Today’s plants all descend, it is believed, from those cultivated in Philadelphia under the name chosen by William Bartram in honor of Benjamin Franklin.