Recent test results from Washington State University Puyallup Plant & Insect Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed the first case of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) in the core area of the Washington Park Arboretum. The tree, a 45 year old Guernsey Elm (Ulmus minor ‘Sarniensis’), had been suffering from mechanical injury to the root crown and annual infestations of the Elm Leafminer, an insect that that feeds on elm leaves.
Read more »Winter Wrap-Up: Certainly NOT Boring...
According to Cliff Mass, UW meteorologist, our past winter of 2012-2013 was the most "boring" on record. There were no major weather events such as wind storms, artic blasts, snowfalls in the lowlands or major flooding. This was indeed good news for the UWBG horticulture staff.
Read more »Building the New Zealand Forest, Pacific Connections Update
The 2.5 acre New Zealand focal forest construction project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June. Planting will begin in June. There will be approximately 10,000 total plants representing over 90 taxa for the 9 plant communities that will be represented.
Read more »Seasonal Horticulture Update: "The Summer of Our Content"
UWBG Horticulture and Plant Records staff had a very busy, productive and satisfying summer. A cold wet June and early July pushed extraordinary plant growth. Then, just as quickly as we could say, "No summer in Seattle", the heavens went dry and we experienced an historic dry spell.
Read more »Horticulture Vignettes from a Busy Spring in the Gardens
“Something old…” OK, so there’s the “old”, as in “enough already”, cold wet spring weather that seems to be continuing into summer and creating a monster weed season for us. And, there’s the “old” as in a staff milestone reached in age by none other than Riz Reyes, Soest Gardener. Sure, compared to most of our seasoned horticulture staff, he’s still just a sapling in the woods at 30, but ever so slowly, he’s beginning to put down roots and develop heartwood, true elements of perennial long-life.
Read more »Phytophthora Resistant Port Orford Trials Underway in Washington Park Arboretum
The future health outlook bodes well for what many consider to be our finest native conifer in the PNW, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Port Orford cedar and its many cultivars. Port Orford cedars have been under seige for many years from its worst enemy Phytophtora lateralis, a soil-borne pathogen that is especially virulent in wet soils, and essentially spells a death-sentence to this majestic tree once its roots are infected.
Read more »"Day of Caring" in the Arboretum, September 16, 2011
And the astonishing United Way “Day of Caring” numbers are in! 103 total volunteers working 417 hours! Representing 4 companies/corporations: AT&T, Japan Business Association, Microsoft, Nordstrom Completing 5 projects: AT&T – Holly Collection 3 truckloads of blackberry and weeds hauled out, roots and all! Native plant bed and holly berm weeded and mulched! Japan Business Association-Pacific Connections Garden, Siskiyou Slope Weeded over 1,100 linear feet of 8’wide pathways and hauled out 3 truckloads of weeds!
Read more »Maintenance Improvement: Azalea Way Gravel Path
Historically the Azalea Way lawn path experiences 8-9 months a year that are very wet making access difficult. In 2009 a crushed rock path was added to the middle of Azalea Way from Boyer Parking lot to the Woodland Garden. The proposed improvement will add 700 feet of 6 foot wide crushed rock path from the Woodland Garden to the Lynn Street Bridge Trail.
Read more »Pacific Connections Update: Cascadia Bog Development
Get bogged down in Cascadia and see firsthand how the horticulturalists at the Washington Park Arboretum recreate a native bog.
Read more »Boyer Parking Lot Tree Protection
One of the most widespread problems with trees in the urban environment is the failure to recognize the tree’s mature size. If one doesn’t take into account the space required when the tree grows up, conflicts are sure to arise. To make matters worse, the tree is often faulted for encroachment! Several trees surrounding the Arboretum’s Boyer Parking Lot have grown up and encroached on the gravel parking spaces.
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