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2300 Arboretum Drive East Seattle WA 98112
206-325-4510
Arbor eNotes October 2014
Workers create a staging area on the WSDOT Peninsula.
520 Bridge Update
Construction Work in the Arboretum Begins
Construction of the West Approach Bridge North (WABN) phase of the new State Route 520 Bridge in the Arboretum has begun. Late last month, workers from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed off the Miller Street parking lot at the northern tip of the Arboretum to public use. They will be using a large portion of the WSDOT Peninsula adjacent to this parking lot as a staging area for the bridge construction project, which is scheduled to last until summer 2017. Read full story. 
maple leaf fall
Fall color on a Japanese maple in the Arboretum.
Maple Viewing Day

Sunday, Oct 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Seattle Japanese Garden

Fall is one of the best times to visit the world-famous Japanese Garden at Washington Park Arboretum. At this annual event, enjoy breathtaking autumn foliage, traditional music performances, and more.

  • Live taiko drumming;
  • Japanese calligraphy demonstrations;
  • Hands-on nature activities;
  • Complimentary garden tours.

Free with garden admission. For details, call 206-684-4725 or visit the Japanese Garden website.

Acer saccharum 'Sweet Shadow'. (Photo by Daniel Mount)
'Sweet Shadow' Maple
A Hidden Treasure of the Arboretum
'Sweet Shadow' is a beautiful, deeply lobed cultivar of the sugar maple, Acer saccharum. In October, it boasts gorgeous, gold-colored fall foliage. We have two specimens in the Arboretum, just south of the Viburnum Collection. In the latest edition of the Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin, Daniel Mount profiles the trees and provides directions on how to find them. Read the full article.
Thank to our sponsors: The fall 2014 issue of the Bulletin was made possible by Molbak's, Wells Medina Nursery, The Berger Partnership, Chip Kennaugh Co.
Adventure awaits in Costa Rica. (Photo by Joanna Livingstone)
The Flora of Costa Rica
UWBG Director to Lead Tour in January 2015
Costa Rica, with its tropical climate and large areas of protected land, boasts a stunning array of biodiversity, including more than 9,000 different types of flowering plants and 1,200 species of orchid. Director of the UW Botanic Gardens, Dr. Sarah Reichard, invites you to join her on a 10-day tour of the country's vibrant flora, from cloud forests to tropical rain forests, plus botanical treasures like the Monteverde Orchid Garden and the Else Kientzler Botanical Gardens. The tour runs from January 4 to 13, 2015. Read more.
Scene from the Signature Bed at the GVC.
Fern Foundation Milestone 
HFF Celebrating 25th Anniversary with Fall Social 
The Hardy Fern Foundation, whose members help the Arboretum staff maintain the stunning fern beds outside the Graham Visitors Center, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. As part of the celebrations, the HFF is hosting a Fall Fern Social & Potluck Lunch at the newly built educational facilities of the Bellevue Botanic Garden this Saturday, October 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event will feature the largest display of fronds on the West Coast, along with a guest speaker and experts available to identify ferns. Click here for details.
Tulipa 'Spring Green'. (Photo by Lynne Harrison)
HPSW Bulb Sale
Sunday, October 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Center for Urban Hort
This Sunday our friends at the Hardy Plant Society of Washington will hold their annual bulb sale at the Center for Urban Horticulture, Seattle. You'll find many varieties of spring-blooming bulbs, including Narcissus, Allium, Crocus, Fritillaria, Tulipa, and Camassia. See a full list of available bulbs on the HPSW website.
BANNER PHOTO: Franklinia alatamaha blooming at the north end of Azalea Way.
In This Issue
520 Bridge Update
Maple Viewing Day
'Sweet Shadow' Sugar Maple
Costa Rica Tour
Fern Foundation Social
Bulb Sale at CUH

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azalea fall foliage


Free Sunday Tours to Explore Fruits, Nuts, and Fall Color

 

UWBG-trained garden guides lead 

from 1 to 2:30 p.m. every Sunday. On October 12, the theme of the tour will be "fruits and nuts." From October 19 through November 16, the theme will switch to "fall color." Meet at the Graham Visitors Center.



Art Exhibit: "Ferns, Orchids & Other Treasures

From now through November 3, the Miller Library is hosting an exhibit of exquisite and botanically accurate watercolors by Lopez Island-based botanist and artist Linda Ann Vorobik. The exhibit also features hand-painted silk wall hangings and scarves.




Thanks to Our "Day of Caring" Volunteers! 

More than 100 volunteers from Amazon, Blucora, Nordstrom, Virginia Mason, and Urban Renaissance Group helped care for the Arboretum on September 19 as part of the United Way of King County's annual "Day of Caring" event. Read the full story on the UWBG web blog.