Our Work
Volunteer community, maintenance programs, and enhancement projects
The Foundation preserves and enhances the Washington Park Arboretum through a variety of dynamic programs and projects. We recruit and manage a vibrant volunteer community that supports every facet of Arboretum operations—from grounds maintenance to fundraising events. We help fund the salaries of UW Botanic Gardens arborists, gardeners, and environmental educators working in the Arboretum. We fund revitalization projects, such as the restoration of historic Rhododendron Glen, and the creation of new horticultural displays, such as the Pacific Connections Garden. We are also the support organization for the Seattle Japanese Garden in the Arboretum.
Become a volunteer and enjoy everything the Arboretum community offers. Meet great people and like-minded spirits.
Caring for the Arboretum’s plant collection, and ensuring the health and safety of the trees, is a major expense and our biggest pride and joy.
We are funding the restoration of Rhododendron Glen, Lake Washington Boulevard, and other beloved spaces in the Arboretum.
We’re helping children and adults learn about the vital role plants, forests, and wetlands play in the urban environment.
We are the support partner for the Japanese Garden at the Arboretum, managing public programs and volunteers, and raising vital funds.
We fund and support Master Plan improvement projects, including the Pacific Connections Garden and the Arboretum Loop Trail.
News Articles
Humor: The Garden is a Dangerous Place
Gardening is a scary pastime, or so writer Barbara Blossom Ashmun claims in her article in the latest Arboretum Bulletin. In her many years as a garden professional and hobbiest, she has been attacked by bald-faced hornets, poisoned by plant sap, sent to ER because...
Bigleaf Maple: A Native Tree With Much to Offer!
As the warmth of summer fills our days, the canopy cover of trees provides welcome respite from the heat. With a spreading crown and thick branches covered with a profusion of foliage, mosses, lichens and ferns, the bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) stands out as a...
Marvelous Woody Mints of the Arboretum
The mint family, Lamiaceae, is a familiar one for gardeners. We plant lots of low-growing herbaceous plants from this group - such as salvias, basil, and bee balm - in our kitchen gardens and ornamental borders. But you may be surprised to learn that the family also...